England can secure qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a win against Latvia in Riga this evening. Thomas Tuchel’s side travels to the Daugava Stadium knowing victory will confirm top spot in Group K with two matches to spare.
Key Takeaway: A Three Lions win over Latvia tonight would seal England’s place at the finals next summer.
Confirmed Team News
England head coach Thomas Tuchel has named a 22-man squad for the trip to Riga.
- Harry Kane has recovered from an ankle issue sustained while playing for Bayern Munich and trained fully on Monday; Tuchel expects him to play “all 90 minutes” tonight.
- Ollie Watkins has been ruled out after failing to recover from the knock he suffered against Wales; he has returned to Aston Villa as a precaution.
- Jarell Quansah withdrew due to knee inflammation and will miss the Latvia match.
- Reece James was already ruled out earlier in the window, prompting the first senior call-up for Manchester City full-back Nico O’Reilly.
Injury Latest
England’s unavailable players for tonight’s qualifier are:
Predicted England XI (4-2-3-1)
Jordan Pickford
Ezri Konsa, John Stones, Marc Guéhi, Djed Spence
Elliot Anderson, Declan Rice
Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, Marcus Rashford
Harry Kane
Tuchel is likely to maintain the same core that beat Wales 3-0, with Anderson partnering Rice in midfield and Eze sitting behind Kane. Rashford’s versatility provides cover for Watkins up front.
Match Details
Kick-off: 7:45 pm BST, Tuesday 14 October 2025
Venue: Daugava Stadium, Riga
Broadcast: ITV
Securing three points tonight would not only guarantee qualification but also underscore England’s dominant qualifying campaign, in which they have scored 16 goals and conceded none in six matches.
