England vs Latvia live updates: Harry Kane returns to line up for 2026 World Cup qualifier – The New York Times

World Cup
International
Break
live
Updated 4m ago
England face Latvia in Riga knowing a win today guarantees their place at the 2026 World Cup.
Thomas Tuchel’s side need three more points to book their spot in next summer's tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
England play the world's 137th-ranked side after a 3-0 friendly win against Wales on Thursday.
England XI: Pickford; Spence, Konsa, Stones, Lewis-Skelly; Anderson, Rice; Saka, Rogers, Gordon; Kane.
GO FURTHER
Marcus Rashford can be ‘one of the world’s best’ with consistency, says Thomas Tuchel
Thomas Tuchel's men line up as follows this evening.
England (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Spence, Konsa, Stones, Lewis-Skelly; Anderson, Rice; Saka, Rogers, Gordon; Kane.
Advertisement
The England XI has been announced.
Let's take a look …
The UK political right is weaponising football. This is why, and how it’s cutting through.
GO FURTHER
English football, right-wing politics, and a new front in the culture wars
FIFA has changed the men’s international calendar for the 2026-2030 period by merging the September and October international breaks into one.
Currently, separate windows in September and October sees nations play a maximum of two matches in each, but from next year onwards, this will be condensed into one period with a maximum of four matches.
The change means the Premier League and other top European divisions will miss around a three-week break (say, from September 21 to October 10, 2026) providing extra time for club fixtures.
The first of the new windows will see the first four matches of the 2026-27 Nations League campaign for European countries.
England head coach Thomas Tuchel has told Marcus Rashford he can still be “one of the best in the world”, but that he needs to improve his output.
Tuchel has tried to resurrect Rashford’s England career this year, but warned the 27-year-old could still fail to fulfil his huge potential.
Rashford has one goal in five England appearances under Tuchel, and three goals so far in his loan spell at Barcelona from Manchester United.
He said:
💬 “That is the headline for him, to keep on pushing himself to the limit. The limit for him is very, very high. Maybe higher than for others.
“He has the potential but potential is a dangerous word with high-level sports.”
Since making his England debut against Andorra in September, Anderson has started victories against Serbia and Wales.
The 22-year-old, who previously played for Scotland’s junior teams, has been the preferred central midfield partner for Declan Rice.
With Tuchel opting against calling up Real Madrid playmaker Jude Bellingham and in-form Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton, it adds further credence to the belief that the Anderson and Rice partnership is here to stay.
It was a position that had a plethora of options, from Kobbie Mainoo to Curtis Jones and Angel Gomes, but their lack of consistency has enabled Anderson to leapfrog them in the pecking order.
As the World Cup approaches, Tuchel appears unlikely to tinker in midfield, allowing Anderson’s importance to grow. If he starts next to Rice again tonight, it will be another indication of his importance.
Advertisement
The friendly win over Wales was Jordan Pickford’s eighth clean sheet in a row for England, breaking the national team’s record for a goalkeeper.
The previous mark of seven had been set firstly by Gordon Banks, with the last of those games being the 1966 World Cup quarter-final against Argentina at Wembley, which England won 1-0.
Pickford then equalled Banks’ record in 2021, with his final clean sheet of that run coming in the quarter-finals of Euro 2020 against Ukraine.
But now, following the shutout against Wales, Pickford holds the record outright and will be eager to extend it further against Latvia tonight.
England started this international break with a friendly against old rivals Wales and secured a pretty easy 3-0 win.
Three first-half goals, from Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins and Bukayo Saka, secured a pretty routine victory at Wembley.
Serbia had been in an excellent position to overhaul Albania in second place in World Cup qualifying Group K.
But Serbia lost 1-0 against Albania on Saturday. Rey Manaj’s goal condemned the home side to back-to-back defeats, with head coach Dragan Stojkovic resigning from his post after the final whistle.
That means England are on the verge of securing qualification for next summer's tournament and will do so with a win against Latvia, who are second bottom of the group, tonight.
It's been the perfect start in terms of points for England in World Cup qualifying Group K.
They sit top of the pile with 15 from a possible 15 after five wins from five, having scored 13 and conceded none.
Second-placed Albania have a four-point gap to Serbia in third and will stay in the runner-up slot (at least temporarily) even if Serbia win their game in hand.
Latvia and definitely Andorra are basically out of contention.
In England's most recent World Cup qualifying match, a stunning 5-0 win against Serbia on September 9, everything finally clicked.
Harry Kane and then Noni Madueke scored inside three minutes, the latter a brilliant run and finish, before Ezri Konsa and Marc Guehi, plus Marcus Rashford from the penalty spot, made it a near-perfect outing for the visitors.
Their toughest rivals in World Cup qualifying were dispatched away from home with minimum fuss.
Advertisement
Goalkeepers: Rihards Matrevics, Krisjanis Zviedris, Frenks Davids Orols.
Defenders: Roberts Savalnieks, Andrejs Ciganiks, Raivis Andris Jurkovskis, Antonijs Cernomordijs, Vitalijs Jagodinskis, Daniels Balodis, Deniss Melniks, Maksim Tonisevs, Roberts Veips.
Midfielders: Alexejs Saveljevs, Eduards Daskevics, Renars Varslavans, Dmitrijs Zelenkovs, Lukass Vapne, Kristers Penkevics, Kristaps Grabovskis, Danila Patijchuks.
Forwards: Janis Ikaunieks, Vladislavs Gutkovskis, Marco Regza, Ingars Pulis.
Maybe it's not a surprise there are a few high-profile players missing out.
After all, the dominant themes of this England squad selection, when it was announced at Wembley at the start of this international break, were loyalty and continuity. Tuchel said:
💬 “Are there players out who deserve to be with us? Yes, for sure. Is there a way back into the team through performance? 100 per cent, for sure.
“But at the moment, we think this is the best and most straightforward decision. Like I said last camp, the competition is on to be in the squad. That still stands.
“What are we doing if a player like Jude (Bellingham) is injured before the World Cup? Do we then cancel? Do we not travel? This is a team sport. We have to find solutions.
“This is more about the last camp and what we started to build, than about the dependence on individual players.”
This England squad has arguably been defined by its conspicuous absences as much as its inclusions.
Jack Grealish, who joined Everton on loan after being frozen out at Manchester City, has started very well, with our very own Patrick Boyland saying he has ‘allowed Everton to dream again’.
Trevoh Chalobah has come in and out, the midfield exclusions of Curtis Jones and especially Adam Wharton appear mystifying, and Phil Foden is out despite returning to form for Manchester City.
While Morgans Rogers and Gibbs-White have been poor for Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest respectively but retain their places. And don't get Tim Spiers started on Jude Bellingham being left out…
✍️ Jude Bellingham, one of England's most gifted young footballers, has been left out of the squad and it’s a completely normal situation. Is there a problem with the player? Absolutely not! Nothing to see here.
Tuchel, famed for not falling out with any star players at the clubs he’s managed, said: “We decided to keep with the straightforward decision of inviting the same group.”
It might be an idea to practice with your best players? Actually, no wait, Brazil used to leave out Pele all the time. Deserves to be there? Check. Not there? Check. You’ve got to hand it to the guy, it’s an original notion.
Much of the criticism of Thomas Tuchel’s latest England squad will be aimed at the omission of Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton, particularly when Brentford’s Jordan Henderson, 35, is included.
The 85-cap Henderson does have experience but the manager must surely have one eye on blooding Wharton with qualification for the 2026 World Cup all but confirmed.
Elliot Anderson did impress on his debut outing in Belgrade but Wharton’s exclusion was still startling, as was that of Jack Grealish, who has started the season well with Everton, alongside Man City's Phil Foden.
Jude Bellingham being absent is perhaps more understandable given his recovery from a shoulder injury.
England's squad for games with Wales and Latvia had no place for Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham, or for Manchester City attacking midfielders Phil Foden, or Jack Grealish (on loan at Everton) despite strong form.
Bellingham, 22, has only just returned to full fitness after undergoing shoulder surgery following the Club World Cup and only has one start this season. He was named England’s men’s player of the year last week.
Bukayo Saka has returned to the group after missing the September camp with injury, but both Arsenal team-mate Noni Madueke and Newcastle United’s Tino Livramento are sidelined and missing.
Advertisement
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City)
Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Nico O'Reilly (Manchester City), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), John Stones (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson, Morgan Gibbs-White (both Nottingham Forest), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (AC Milan), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona, on loan from Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal).
We want to hear from you on The Athletic.
Have you already booked your trip to next summer’s World Cup? What was Thomas Tuchel's worst call in naming his latest squad? And what is their best starting line-up?
Let us know your thoughts! Email us at live@theathletic.com and we'll get the best of what we receive in our live coverage.
The Athletic is the best place to be for all sports fans.
In the soccer, the Premier League will continue after this international break with AFCON following before the end of the year, while across the pond the basketball season is fast approaching.
Plus there is coverage of NFL, college football and plenty beyond. You can follow all of that — and so much more — right here.
Subscribe on an exclusive offer here.

source