England manager Gareth Southgate is soon to announce his Three Lions squad for the FIFA 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
After months of conjecture, 26 players will have a shot at glory in the tournament — or, at least, the chance to end a six-match winless run for England stretching back to March.
There will be only 11 days between the squad being announced and England beginning their campaign, with one round of Premier League fixtures beforehand.
When will we know who’s on the plane? Who’s looking likely to feature right now? Which teams will they play against? Here’s what you need to know.
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When will the England World Cup squad be announced?
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. Reports indicate that he will reveal his 26-man squad on Thursday, November 10.
The squad will be confirmed at 2pm GMT.
FIFA has said that it will name any unannounced squads on Tuesday, November 15.
Projected England 26-man World Cup squad
Here’s a projected look at a possible 26-man list — assuming players are fit and ready, which at this stage is far from certain.
| Position | Player | Club | Age | Caps | 2022 World Cup Qualifiers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Jordan Pickford | Everton (ENG) | 28 | 45 | 4 |
| Goalkeeper | Nick Pope | Newcastle United (ENG) | 30 | 10 | 3 |
| Goalkeeper | Aaron Ramsdale | Arsenal (ENG) | 24 | 3 | 1 |
| Defender | Trent Alexander-Arnold | Liverpool (ENG) | 24 | 17 | 3 |
| Defender | Conor Coady | Everton (ENG) | 29 | 10 | 4 |
| Defender | Eric Dier | Tottenham (ENG) | 28 | 47 | 0 |
| Defender | Harry Maguire | Manchester United (ENG) | 29 | 48 | 6 |
| Defender | Luke Shaw | Manchester United (ENG) | 27 | 23 | 4 |
| Defender | John Stones | Manchester City (ENG) | 28 | 59 | 9 |
| Defender | Kieran Trippier | Newcastle United (ENG) | 32 | 37 | 3 |
| Defender | Kyle Walker | Manchester City (ENG) | 32 | 70 | 6 |
| Defender | Ben White | Arsenal (ENG) | 25 | 4 | 0 |
| Midfielder | James Maddison | Leicester City (ENG) | 25 | 1 | 0 |
| Midfielder | Jude Bellingham | Borussia Dortmund (GER) | 19 | 17 | 4 |
| Midfielder | Conor Gallagher | Crystal Palace (ENG) | 22 | 4 | 1 |
| Midfielder | Jordan Henderson | Liverpool (ENG) | 32 | 70 | 4 |
| Midfielder | Mason Mount | Chelsea (ENG) | 23 | 32 | 8 |
| Midfielder | Kalvin Phillips | Manchester City (ENG) | 26 | 23 | 7 |
| Midfielder | Declan Rice | West Ham United (ENG) | 23 | 34 | 5 |
| Forward | Callum Wilson | Newcastle (ENG) | 30 | 4 | 0 |
| Forward | Phil Foden | Manchester City (ENG) | 21 | 18 | 7 |
| Forward | Jack Grealish | Manchester City (ENG) | 27 | 24 | 6 |
| Forward | Harry Kane | Tottenham (ENG) | 29 | 75 | 8 |
| Forward | Marcus Rashford | Manchester United (ENG) | 24 | 46 | 3 |
| Forward | Bukayo Saka | Arsenal (ENG) | 21 | 20 | 5 |
| Forward | Raheem Sterling | Manchester City (ENG) | 79 | 19 | 7 |
England World Cup fixtures schedule
England kick off their 2022 World Cup campaign on November 21, up against Iran, in Al Rayyan.
That opening fixture is followed by two further eye-catching clashes in Group B, against the USA in Al Khor on November 25, and neighbours Wales back in Al Rayyan on November 29.
Despite never facing Iran before, England are no strangers to their other two group-stage opponents, with the USA unbeaten in World Cup action against the Three Lions.
Their 1-0 win over England in the 1950 World Cup remains one of the greatest shocks in the tournament’s history and Rob Green’s famous error gifted Bob Bradley’s side a 1-1 draw in 2010.
Wales vs England will be marked on the calendar for both sets of fans ahead of their meeting in Qatar, with England’s controversial 2-1 Euro 2016 win still in the memory.
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stadium |
| Mon, Nov. 21 | England vs. Iran | 8 a.m. | Khalifa Int’l Stadium |
| Fri, Nov. 25 | England vs. USA | 2 p.m. | Al Bayt Stadium |
| Tues, Nov. 29 | Wales vs. England | 2 p.m. | Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium |
England route to World Cup final
Despite a reduction in confidence in recent months, England will still expect to make it out of Group B, ahead of Iran, Wales and the USA.
They have only failed at the first hurdle once since 1998, after picking up just one point from three group games in Brazil in 2014
Round of 16
If England win Group B, they will take on the second-place side from Group A in the last 16, which means they will face one of Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal or Netherlands.
Second place in the group pits them against the winners of Group A.
Quarterfinals
England have to face a team from Group A in the last 16 but the quarterfinal permutations are more diverse, as the competition heats up.
First place in the group would put them on a likely collision-course with France in the last eight, if the defending champions top Group D, with second in the group meaning a possible meeting with Argentina.
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Semifinals
Either quarterfinal opponent will present a huge challenge for England, but if they progress into the last four, the picture changes again.
Top spot is likely to mean either Belgium or Portugal in the last four with second place tipping towards a tie with one of Spain, Germany or Brazil.
Final
If England can make it all the way to the final they will have already seen off some major rivals on the way to Lusail.
Either Argentina or Brazil will be their likely rivals, if they win the group, and France, if they finish second.
Potential knockout schedule — if England finishes 1st in Group B
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stadium |
| Sun, Dec. 4 | Round of 16 | 2:00 p.m. | Al Bayt Stadium |
| Sat, Dec. 10 | Quarterfinals | 2:00 p.m. | Al Bayt Stadium |
| Wed, Dec. 14 | Semifinals | 2:00 p.m. | Al Bayt Stadium |
| Sat, Dec. 17* | Third Place Match | 10:00 a.m. | Khalifa International Stadium |
| Sun, Dec. 18 | Final | 10:00 a.m. | Lusail Stadium |
*Only in event of defeat in semifinals
Potential knockout round schedule — if England finishes 2nd in Group B
| Date | Match | Time (ET) | Stadium |
| Sat, Dec. 3 | Round of 16 | 10:00 a.m. | Khalifa International Stadium |
| Fri, Dec. 9 | Quarterfinals | 2:00 p.m. | Lusail Stadium |
| Tue, Dec. 13 | Semifinals | 2:00 p.m. | Lusail Stadium |
| Sat, Dec. 17* | Third Place Match | 10:00 a.m. | Khalifa International Stadium, A |
| Sun, Dec. 18 | Final | 10:00 a.m. | Lusail Stadium |
*Only in event of defeat in semifinals
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