England fans are expectant once again ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, having reached the final of Euro 2021 last summer and the last four at Russia 2018.
Gareth Southgate has taken the Three Lions closer to glory than any other manager since they last lifted the World Cup in 1966 — and Euro 2022 glory for the nation’s women’s side has only heightened excitement ahead of the journey to Qatar.
Southgate will be keen to manage the pressure surrounding his squad as the build-up to the tournament continues, but the former defender should also be confident of another strong performance. England will start among the leading contenders to hoist the famous trophy.
Southgate is set to name his final 26-man squad on Thursday, November 10 and his starting lineup picks itself, but domestic form and injuries will also play a key role in his final decision. There are a host of injuries to consider, which could leave the squad somewhat shorthanded heading into the tournament.
Projected England World Cup squad 2022
Southgate is likely to keep faith with the bulk of the squad that powered England to within touching distance of winning Euro 2021 last year, before their heart-breaking final defeat on penalties to Italy.
His starting defence and midfield rarely changed during the competition, and there appears to be little reason to alter his starting XI plans at this stage.
However, a mixed return to Premier League action for some in 2021/22 unsettled certain positions, with Manchester United trio Harry Maguire, Luke Shaw and Marcus Rashford coming under the most significant pressure. Rashford has shown improved form under new Man United manager Erik ten Hag with Shaw and Maguire slowly regaining their confidence.
Additionally, there are some injuries to key players for consideration. Most importantly, Reece James has been ruled out though injury. The Chelsea defender has not recovered sufficiently from the knee injury he picked up against AC Milan last month and Southgate has now told him it’s too much of a risk to take him. Kyle Walker’s situation is up in the air, with a groin injury that required surgery and still no estimated return date.
Midfielder Kalvin Phillips hasn’t played for months with a shoulder injury, and there’s also no estimated date for his return, which is a major doubt. Arsenal midfielder Emile Smith Rowe had groin surgery and is likely out of action for the World Cup. Another Gunner international Bukayo Saka was forced off in Arsenal’s match against Nottingham Forest on October 30 and there will be plenty of attention around his diagnosis moving forward.
Then, on November 5 it was confirmed that left-back Ben Chilwell will miss the World Cup after a “significant injury” to his hamstring suffered during Chelsea’s 2-1 Champions League win over Dinamo Zagreb on November 2. That leaves England shorthanded when it comes to left-sided defenders with Luke Shaw the only natural left-back though Kieran Trippier can also fill in.
Chilwell’s name was probably on Southgate’s preliminary list including between 35-55 players which was submitted to FIFA by Friday, October 21 but not revealed by the English FA. Southgate’s final 26-man squad will be announced on November 10, four days before the official FIFA deadline.
Although the preliminary list was not formally announced by the English FA, news reports have already provided us with a handful of names who made the first cut: Callum Wilson (Newcastle), Eberechi Eze (Crystal Palace), James Maddison (Leicester City), Lewis Dunk (Brighton), and Danny Welbeck (Brighton).
Taking the above into account alongside previous World Cup qualifying and friendly rosters across the past year, these are the names most likely to be on Southgate’s preliminary list.
| Position | Player | Club | Age | Caps | 2022 World Cup Qualifiers | |
| Goalkeeper | Dean Henderson | Nottingham Forest (ENG) | 25 | 1 | 0 | |
| 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 | Ben Chilwell*** | Chelsea (ENG) | 25 | 17 | 5 | |
| Defender | Conor Coady | Everton (ENG) | 29 | 10 | 4 | |
| Defender | Eric Dier | Tottenham (ENG) | 28 | 47 | 0 | |
| Defender | Lewis Dunk | Brighton (ENG) | 30 | 1 | 0 | |
| Defender | Marc Guehi | Crystal Palace (ENG) | 22 | 3 | 1 | |
| Defender | Reece James*** | Chelsea (ENG) | 22 | 15 | 5 | |
| 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 | Fikayo Tomori | AC MIlan (ITA) | 24 | 3 | 1 | |
| 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 | Jude Bellingham | Borussia Dortmund (GER) | 19 | 17 | 4 | |
| Midfielder | Eberechi Eze | Crystal Palace (ENG) | 24 | 0 | 0 | |
| Midfielder | Conor Gallagher | Crystal Palace (ENG) | 22 | 4 | 1 | |
| Midfielder | Jordan Henderson | Liverpool (ENG) | 32 | 70 | 4 | |
| Midfielder | James Maddison | Leicester City (ENG) | 25 | 1 | 0 | |
| 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 | |
| Midfielder | Emile Smith Rowe | Arsenal (ENG) | 22 | 3 | 2 | |
| Midfielder | James Ward-Prowse | Southampton (ENG) | 27 | 11 | 3 | |
| Forward | Tammy Abraham | AS Roma (ITA) | 25 | 11 | 4 | |
| Forward | Jarrod Bowen | West Ham United (ENG) | 25 | 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 | Jadon Sancho | Manchester United (ENG) | 22 | 23 | 1 | |
| Forward | Raheem Sterling | Manchester City (ENG) | 79 | 19 | 7 | |
| Forward | Ivan Toney | Brentford (ENG) | 26 | 0 | 0 | |
| Forward | Danny Welbeck | Brighton (ENG) | 31 | 42 | 0 | |
| Forward | Callum Wilson | Newcastle (ENG) | 30 | 4 | 0 | |
*** = Ben Chilwell was officially ruled out of the World Cup with a hamstring injury
*** = Reece James has been ruled out of the World Cup with a knee injury
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.
Here’s the final 26-man list heading to Qatar.
| 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 | Jude Bellingham | Borussia Dortmund (GER) | 19 | 17 | 4 |
| Midfielder | Conor Gallagher | Chelsea (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 | James Maddison | Leicester City (ENG) | 25 | 1 | 0 |
| 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) | 27 | 79 | 7 |
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.
Goalkeeper
Everton star Jordan Pickford was an ever-present for England during their run to the semifinals and final of the last two major tournaments.
Penalty shootout heroics only boosted his status as Southgate’s No.1, and despite missing the September UEFA Nations League games through injury, he remains first choice, with Nick Pope and Aaron Ramsdale as backups.
Defence
Southgate once had an embarrassment of riches at full-back, however injury concerns over Kyle Walker and the omission of Reece James will influence his final plans, with Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold back into contention after missing out on Euro 2021.
The left-back position was also impacted by Ben Chilwell’s injury, and regular right-back Kieran Trippier is now a must-have on the final roster given his ability to fill in on the opposite flank for starter Luke Shaw.
Walker will be included if they can return to club action before the World Cup, but doubts persist over United skipper Harry Maguire. Maguire’s struggles at United have not diminished his importance to Southgate, with John Stones a seemingly certain selection alongside him, in either a back four or a three-man defence.
Midfield
The defensive pivot of Declan Rice and Kalvin Phillips offered England a platform to build on at Euro 2021, and they are expected to continue that partnership in Qatar if Phillips can somehow return to fitness. Jude Bellingham’s rapid rise presents Southgate with an extra option.
Depending on formation, Mason Mount is likely to start as the link man between midfield and attack, while the England boss has a decision to make over whether to take Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson or opt for a more energetic, younger option such as Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher.
Forwards
Captain Harry Kane is an undisputed starter for Southgate and he could break the England all-time goal record in Qatar.
Raheem Sterling’s goals were crucial at Euro 2021, and he will stay in the starting XI if he maintains solid form at Chelsea, with Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish fighting for the other starting spot in an advanced attacking role.
Southgate is well-stocked with wide options, but an alternative — more traditional — partner for Kane could be more of a challenge.
Newcastle’s Callum Wilson and Manchester United star Marcus Rashford would give Southgate something extra, if Plan A needs to be tweaked.
England projected starting lineup at World Cup 2022
(3-4-3): Pickford — Walker, Maguire, Stones — Alexander-Arnold, Phillips, Rice, Trippier — Sterling, Kane, Grealish
(4-2-3-1): Pickford — Walker, Maguire, Stones, Trippier — Phillips, Rice — Saka, Mount, Sterling — Kane
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.
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