Following the team’s success in reaching the final of Euro 2021 and the semifinals at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, England fans are excited for the 2022 tournament.
Success at Euro 2022 for the national women’s team has only increased anticipation for the upcoming trip to Qatar, and manager Gareth Southgate has brought the Three Lions closer to glory than any other since they last lifted the World Cup in 1966.
Determine would be eager to handle the pressure encompassing his squad as the build-up to the tourney persists, but the former defender should also be confident of another solid performance. England will start among top candidates to hoist the renowned trophy.
Final 26-man England World Cup roster
England will not play any pre-tournament friendlies ahead of the World Cup with Southgate basing his final squad pick on domestic, and previous international form. He revealed his 26-man squad on November 10.
With the likes of Reece James and Ben Chilwell ruled out through injury, Southgate had to look to other options in defence. Conor Gallagher and James Maddison both made the final 26-man squad in midfield while he opted for Callum Wilson over the likes of Ivan Toney, and Tammy Abraham as an outside pick up front. Maddison, however, suffered an injury playing for Leicester on November 12, which will need to be monitored.
Your #ThreeLions squad for the @FIFAWorldCup! 🦁 pic.twitter.com/z6gVkRTlT3
— England (@England) November 10, 2022
Alongside Toney and Abraham missing out, other notable absentees included Marc Guehi; Fikayo Tomori, Emile Smith Rowe and James Ward-Prowse. Chelsea duo Reece James and Ben Chilwell had already been ruled out with injury.
England projected starting lineup at World Cup 2022
(3-4-3): Pickford — Walker, Maguire, Stones — Alexander-Arnold, Bellingham, Rice, Trippier — Sterling, Kane, Grealish
(4-2-3-1): Pickford — Walker, Maguire, Stones, Trippier — Bellingham, Rice — Saka, Mount, Sterling — Kane
820 – England's 2022 World Cup squad have a combined 820 caps between them; the second-most for a #ThreeLions squad in a World Cup tournament, after 2010 (821). Embedded. pic.twitter.com/tSib2tMisR
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 10, 2022
How many players will be in England’s World Cup squad?
World Cup rosters previously consisted of 23 players, including three goalkeepers, but FIFA have expanded squads to 26 for Qatar 2022, meaning Southgate has scope to include a few more bold calls in his selection.
The extra places allow for more experimentation, particularly in attacking areas, and may provide Southgate an opportunity to go with less-experienced options to offer a surprise factor in Qatar.
Alongside his final squad, Southgate is likely to name a standby list, as he did for Euro 2021.
Teams are allowed to make replacements for serious injury or medical conditions up to 24 hours before their first match in the World Cup. However, any such swap must take place from the original 55-man preliminary list.
