thomas tuchel is due to submit England’s provisional 35 to 55-man World Cup squad by May 11, with the list then trimmed to 26 before the tournament. For fringe players, that keeps the door open for one more push into his 2026 plans.
Tuchel and England’s 55-man range
The size of the provisional group gives Tuchel room to keep options alive. England can name between 35 and 55 players, and the final decision does not come until the group is reduced to 26 before the World Cup.
That leaves a narrow but real opening for players who are still on the edge of the picture. The May 11 deadline is the first major cut in Tuchel’s selection process, and it arrives with some names trying to force their way back into contention.
Angel Gomes, Curtis Jones
Angel Gomes has already had one route back to England. He returned to the Premier League from Ligue 1 after five-and-a-half years in France, joining Wolves from Marseille in January, but he has become little more than a bit-part player for Rob Edwards’ already-relegated side. Tuchel has not called him up yet.
Curtis Jones sits in a similar limbo. He has not scored a Premier League goal this season, though he has laid on two assists, and he has not been recalled by England since the shock friendly defeat to Senegal in June 2025. Jones was picked for Tuchel’s first-ever Three Lions camp, so he is not starting from nowhere.
Loftus-Cheek and Toney
Ruben Loftus-Cheek forced his way back into the picture in September with a first international call-up for seven years, but England overlooked him again in November and he has not had a look in since. He has been playing for AC Milan, and a broken jaw in February has only complicated his case.
Ivan Toney brings a different complication. He has been playing in Saudi Arabia this season and has not played for his country since the friendly loss to Senegal almost a year ago. With the provisional list still open, Tuchel is weighing players whose recent club form, location, and England history point in different directions.
By May 11, those calls become concrete. Fringe players still have a route into the squad, but the provisional list will set the shape of England’s 2026 World Cup build long before the final 26 is named.
