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England sealed their place at the 2026 World Cup when Thomas Tuchel’s side defeated Latvia to qualify with two games to spare.

It means Three Lions fans can now start their preparations for next summer’s tournament whether they are going to it or watching on television.

The 2026 World Cup will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.

It is the first time the tournament will be hosted by three different nations.

The opening match will take place on 11 June 2026 in Mexico City, with the final on 19 July in New Jersey.

The tournament is being expanded to include 48 teams for the first time and as a result it will last a record 39 days.

It has doubled in size since the last time the tournament was held in the United States, when 24 teams competed for the trophy in 1994.

Sixteen cities will host games during next summer’s World Cup – 11 in the United States, three in Mexico and two in Canada.

These are the 2026 World Cup host cities:

USA: Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Seattle.

Mexico: Guadalajara, Mexico City and Monterrey.

The draw for the group stage will be held on Friday, 5 December at 17:00 GMT.

It will take place at John F Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts in Washington DC.

The first batch of tickets went on sale at the start of October, with more than 4.5m fans entering a draw for a chance to buy them.

Fifa has not formally revealed a full price list, but they are being listed online by fans who were successful in the draw after spending hours in digital queues.

General admission tickets are being split into four categories, with those for the first match in the USA costing between $560 (£417) and $2,235 (£1,662).

The cheapest ticket for the 2026 final costs $2,030 (£1,510), and the most expensive is $6,000 (£4,462). Hospitality tickets, meanwhile, are yet to go on sale but will almost certainly be priced significantly higher.

Some tickets for matches early in the tournament – in a few of the less prestigious locations – are available for $60 (£44), but stadium map images show they are a tiny proportion of available seats.

The second phase of ticketing will begin on Monday, 27 October, with the Early Ticket Draw that will run until 31 October. This will involve an application process followed by a randomised selection.

A random selection draw will take place shortly after the groups are drawn on 5 December, during which fans can apply for specific matches.

A last-minute sales phase will take place closer to the tournament, during which fans will be able to purchase any remaining inventory on a first come, first served basis.

Fifa is adopting a ‘dynamic’ pricing model for the tournament, meaning ticket prices for matches deemed high demand could be raised significantly during later sales periods.

England have secured their place at next summer’s tournament, along with 27 other teams.

Argentina, the world champions, are among those to have qualified but there are still 20 spots to fill.

The countries that have already secured their spot are:

Hosts: Canada, Mexico, United States.

Africa: Algeria, Cape Verde, Egypt, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia

Asia: Australia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Uzbekistan.

Europe: England.

Oceania: New Zealand.

South America: Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay.

Of those countries, three have qualified for the World Cup for the first time in their history – Cape Verde, Jordan and Uzbekistan.

The United States will host 78 of the 104 fixtures, including the final.

There have been a number of political assassinations in the US so far in 2025, and were more than 500 mass shootings across the country in 2024.

Forced deportations by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers have also increased on the orders of President Donald Trump, who has deployed National Guard troops in Democrat-led cities, including Los Angeles, which will host eight matches.

ICE and National Guard deployments have drawn mass protests from some communities in some cities, and Trump has threatened to force matches to be moved from cities he deems “unsafe”.

In March, he claimed the political and economic tensions between the US and co-hosts Canada and Mexico would be good for the tournament.

Heat was an issue at the Club World Cup in the USA this summer and will once again be a concern for next year’s World Cup.

Paris St-Germain manager Luis Enrique complained about his team having to play in near 40-degree heat in their Club World Cup opener against Atletico Madrid in Los Angeles, which started at noon local time.

Numerous coaches and players were affected by the heat and humidity, with Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez complaining of dizziness while playing.

Fifa is likely to schedule World Cup matches involving major European nations after midnight UK time in an effort to combat heat issues.

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England have qualified for the 2026 World Cup with victory over Latvia on Tuesday.

The win continues Thomas Tuchel’s 100% record in competitive matches since starting his role as head coach in January.

Who would feature in your first XI for next year’s tournament in North America, Canada and Mexico?

England confirmed qualification for next summer’s World Cup with victory over Latvia in Riga on Tuesday, enabling head coach Thomas Tuchel to start finalising his plans as the countdown to the tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States continues.

Competition for places will be intense, with disappointment inevitable for some of those who have played a part in England’s smooth qualifying campaign.

It is inconceivable that Jude Bellingham will not be part of England’s squad at the World Cup but does the Real Madrid star, who is arguably the biggest global name available to Thomas Tuchel, still have something to prove to the head coach?

The recent evidence on and off the pitch suggests he does.

It all stems from Bellingham being left out of England’s latest squad despite telling Tuchel he wanted to be included, to the constant narrative of team spirit and the excellence of Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers in the number 10 role.

England’s next squad for what are effectively dead rubbers against Serbia and Albania will now have one main point of interest, namely whether Bellingham is included.

If he is, Bellingham will return to duty having been made acutely aware by Tuchel that there is no star system, no special cases, no automatic route back into England’s team.

And it will also come after it has been made crystal clear that Tuchel’s England world does not revolved around Bellingham and how best to utilise his undoubted talent.

Bellingham is not exactly starting again with England – the odds will still be on him being in the line-up their first game in next summer’s World Cup – but he has to prove to Tuchel that he can be part of the team spirit the German cherishes, and that he deserves his place back in the side.

Cole Palmer’s England career has, so far, been a mixed bag ranging from the moment of brilliance that gave England hope with the equaliser against Spain in what was eventually a losing cause in the Euro 2024 final in Berlin, to other occasions when he has left even supporters of his superb talent wanting more.

Palmer’s current problem is a lingering groin injury. Further down the line it will be the Chelsea star performing in consistently eye-catching fashion that might persuade Tuchel to find a place for the 23-year-old in what is already a crowded area.

He is unlikely to get in as the 10, with Rogers currently in possession and Bellingham waiting in the wings.

It is hard to see a place on the flanks, where he is less effective, with Anthony Gordon and Marcus Rashford contenders on the left and Arsenal pair Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke fighting for a place on the right.

Manchester City’s brilliant 25-year-old was, along with Bellingham, a stand-out exclusion from Tuchel’s squad for the friendly against Wales and the World Cup qualifier against Latvia in Riga.

Foden, who has won two caps under Tuchel, has been rebuilding form and confidence with an excellent start to the season after a poor campaign last term.

And he will do all this with his sights set on the World Cup.

He was a permanent fixture in Sir Gareth Southgate’s plans up to Euro 2024, but getting Foden and Bellingham in the same team was often a struggle and never felt like a neat fit at the time, with the former often out on the left rather than his preferred central role.

No-one, least of all Tuchel, can ignore Foden’s talent but he must continue to impress to reclaim what was once an automatic place in England’s squad.

Like Palmer, Foden operates in what is now a congested place under Tuchel, whether it is in the centre or pushed out wide.

This ship may have already sailed.

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s World Cup hopes were already in deep trouble even before he sustained the hamstring injury that has interrupted the start to his Real Madrid career.

If Alexander-Arnold has been looking for signs of a bright England future under Tuchel, then not many of them are promising.

He played former Liverpool team-mate Curtis Jones, a midfield player, ahead of him at right-back in the 1-0 win away to Andorra then dropped Alexander-Arnold completely for the return World Cup qualifiers with Andorra and visit to Serbia.

This came after Tuchel appeared to publicly cast doubt on Alexander-Arnold’s defensive capabilities when he spoke about his influence at Liverpool, saying: “If he wants to have this impact in the English national team, then he has to take the defensive part very, very seriously.”

Tuchel is also a big admirer of another right-back, Reece James, who played under him at Chelsea, although he has had injury problems of his own.

Alexander-Arnold may have to make other plans for the summer unless his form for Real can force a change of heart from Tuchel.

Jack Grealish has been a player and personality reborn since joining Everton on loan from Manchester City, but Tuchel saw fit to ignore the clamour for an England recall when he selected his latest squad.

Tuchel is a confirmed Grealish fan but, at present, it is hard to see where the midfielder would fit into England’s plans, and who would make way to accommodate him.

Grealish can join names like Palmer and Foden, who both face a fight to win places either as the 10 or on the flank.

This is not to denigrate Grealish’s form, which has already made him a hero with Everton’s fans, but a brutal reality.

Adam Wharton has been outstanding for Crystal Palace for a long time now, running games against elite opponents, especially Manchester City when the Eagles won the FA Cup at Wembley last season, and in the win against Premier League champions Liverpool recently.

Wharton’s loping, languid style may sometimes disguise a classy, fiercely competitive midfielder, but his England breakthrough has not arrived, despite going to Germany as part of Southgate’s Euro 2024 squad.

Wharton’s only England cap came under Southgate against Bosnia & Herzegovina in June 2024, when he made a 28-minute appearance as a substitute.

Like others, he is still waiting for his chance to make his mark as Nottingham Forest’s Elliott Anderson has taken the opportunity handed to him by Tuchel with excellent performances, looking right at home on the international stage.

Tuchel has made all the right noises, even down to contacting Wharton to re-assure him he is in his thoughts.

Barcelona is the latest stop on Marcus Rashford’s road to redemption after being exiled by Manchester United – but he still has a way to travel to re-establish himself as a permanent fixture in England’s squad.

If the 27-year-old needed any reminding that he still has to prove himself to be fixed firmly in Tuchel’s World Cup plans, he only needed to listen to the head coach’s words before the World Cup qualifier against Latvia in Riga.

Tuchel said: “It’s not a question of talent. It’s a question of whether he can prove the point at club and international level.”

It never has been a question of Rashford’s talent, it is the times when he has lost his way after producing stunning performances in spells that raise doubts.

He has to produce consistency at Barcelona then, as Tuchel suggests, “prove the point” with England as well.

When Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly scored the first goal of the Tuchel era against Albania in March, becoming the youngest player to score on his senior England debut, aged 18 years and 176 days, he not only looked like a superstar in the making but the answer to the problem left-back position.

He may well still be, starting England’s victory in Latvia, but has a potentially major problem ahead that Tuchel has already made reference to.

And it is a problem that comes in the imposing shape of Riccardo Calafiori.

England apart, Lewis-Skelly has been ousted from Arsenal’s left-back slot by the Italian this season, starting only two games for the Gunners and playing only 263 minutes.

It is a subject that has already been exercising Tuchel’s mind, even though he played Lewis-Skelly in Riga.

It is clear that unless he can find his way back into Arsenal’s starting line-up, Tuchel may face a difficult choice with the gifted youngster, saying: “Maybe it becomes a problem for him, yeah.

“Being a good team-mate in camp may not be good enough to stay the whole year with us. You have to perform at club level on a regular basis.”

Jordan Henderson has a huge admirer in Tuchel. He was an instant inclusion for his first squad in March, winning a recall after being absent from England duty since November 2023.

It was a pick that raised eyebrows but Tuchel was unmoved, continuing to keep faith with Brentford’s veteran midfielder, even to the exclusion of Palace’s Wharton, saying: “He embodies everything we are trying to build.”

No-one could ever question the desire and attitude of one of the game’s most consummate professionals, but Henderson will be 36 during next summer’s World Cup, which will be played in gruelling conditions in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Tuchel has praised Henderson’s influence around camp, and his impact can already be seen at Brentford, but he will need to be seen as someone who will figure on the pitch as well. There is no room for non-playing figureheads at a major tournament.

Morgan Gibbs-White is a real talent and the Nottingham Forest player has won four caps under Tuchel, who is clearly an admirer of his quality.

The problem for Gibbs-White may come with competition for places in the areas he likes, especially with Bellingham, Palmer and Foden not currently in England’s squad and Aston Villa’s Rogers producing excellence.

This is no slight on Gibbs-White, who has been outstanding at Forest. Tottenham Hotspur thought they had signed him in a £60m deal during the transfer window but were left desperately disappointed when Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis persuaded him to stay by offering an improved contract.

It is simply that, when the final numbers take shape, Gibbs-White could be in an area where there are just too many names to fit into a limited pot.

The understudy to England captain Harry Kane is always a thorny issue with options seemingly limited beyond Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins.

Spurs striker Dominic Solanke and Chelsea’s Liam Delap will want to be in Thomas Tuchel’s thoughts but both are currently troubled by injuries.

Arsenal’s Eberechi Eze operates in an area of the pitch where England competition is red-hot, but he offers variety and versatility, so that may well bolster his claims when the time comes for Tuchel to name his squad.

Everton’s Jordan Pickford is unchallenged as goalkeeper with Crystal Palace’s Dean Henderson as his understudy – but what does the England future hold for James Trafford?

He is currently third choice but had hoped to challenge Pickford for top spot after he moved from Burnley to Manchester City.

This plan unravelled somewhat when City bought world-class Italian Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris St-Germain, Trafford losing his place immediately.

City manager Pep Guardiola has insisted Trafford will get game time – but will it be enough to make Tuchel feel comfortable about his match sharpness?

Arsenal’s Declan Rice believes England have the all-round quality to cope with any squad issues, saying: “I think every time you play for England you want to grab the shirt, you want to grab your chance. We do miss Jude for sure, we miss Phil, we miss Cole, we miss loads of players that have not been turning up for reasons the manager has said.

Nathan Aspinall threw two nine-dart finishes during the Players Championship 31 only to be blown away in the final – as Luke Littler suffered an early exit.

Aspinall, 34, produced perfect darts in a 6-4 victory over Irishman Steve Lennon in the second round, then repeated the feat in a 6-5 win over Germany’s Lukas Wenig in the last 16.

Englishman Aspinall had taken a 2-0 lead against Jermaine Wattimena of the Netherlands in the final in Wigan.

However, Wattimena reeled off eight legs on the bounce to clinically see off Aspinall and seal his second ranking title of the season.

Luke Littler, on the back of a semi-final defeat by Beau Greaves in the World Youth Championship on Monday, suffered a first-round exit as he lost 6-4 to fellow Englishman Ritchie Edhouse.

The 18-year-old world champion is currently 67th in the Players Championship standings and has three events to secure his place in the top 64 to qualify for the finals.

Michael van Gerwen is also in danger of not qualifying after he was knocked out at the same stage with a 6-4 loss to Dom Taylor.

The Dutchman is 92nd in table and must now make the final in the Players Championship 32 on Wednesday to secure his spot because he is skipping the final two events because of a pre-booked holiday.

Quarter-finals

Stephen Bunting 6-4 Wessel Nijman

Nathan Aspinall 6-5 James Wade

Niels Zonneveld 6-2 Joe Hunt

Jermaine Wattimena 6-1 Chris Landman

Semi-finals

Nathan Aspinall 7-3 Stephen Bunting

Jermaine Wattimena 7-0 Niels Zonneveld

Final

Rangers are continuing discussions with managerial candidates despite Kevin Muscat emerging as the favourite to take over from Russell Martin.

Muscat played for the club in the early 2000s and is currently in charge of Chinese side Shanghai Port.

It is understood discussions have taken place with the 52-year-old Australian, with some at Ibrox keen on his appointment after Steven Gerrard ruled himself out of the running.

If a deal was agreed with Muscat, it is believed he would not be available until the Chinese league season concludes on 22 November.

Reports suggest former Rangers midfielder Neil McCann could step in as interim boss until his former Ibrox team-mate finishes up in Asia.

The club have been stressing that no deal has been done and talks with other targets remain ongoing.

Capped 46 times by Australia, Muscat has won league titles as a manager in Australia with Melbourne Victory, Japan with Yokohama F Marinos and China with his current club.

He had playing spells in England with Crystal Palace, Wolves and Millwall and won a domestic treble with Rangers in the 2002-03 season, making 26 appearances.

Having been appointed following Rangers’ takeover by a US-led consortium in the summer, Martin lasted just 123 days in charge following a calamitous four-month stint.

Rangers are eighth in the Scottish Premiership with just one win in six games.

During a 19-year playing career that yielded 123 bookings and 12 red cards, Muscat was once branded the “most hated man in football”.

Post-retirement, he revealed former Rangers manager Alex McLeish did not trust him to play in an Old Firm derby during his brief spell at Ibrox.

It is to the Australian’s credit that he has since gone on to somewhat shake off his hot-head image in an impressive 13 years in management.

His glowing CV attracted Rangers two years ago, but he reportedly missed out on the job when the club opted for Philippe Clement instead.

At that time, former Rangers team-mate Neil McCann told BBC Scotland that the Ibrox side would be getting someone with “presence” who “understands the league, the intensity, the rivalry and how to get the job done”.

Muscat was then first-team boss at Yokohama F Marinos, where he won 2022 J-League after taking over from Ange Postecoglou following his exit for Celtic.

He also succeeded Postecoglou at Melbourne Victory after a period working under the current Nottingham Forest head coach.

It was in Melbourne where Muscat’s managerial career began, winning the A-League Championship twice in five-and-a-half years before his move to Japan.

Runners-up spots in the J-League in 2021 and 2023 bookended his 2022 triumph in Yokohama.

Muscat became a title winner in a third different country last year in China, and he is on the verge of another with just four games remaining as his side sit top with a two-point lead.

Across his managerial tenures in Australia, Japan and China, his win rate stands at 54%, with his teams scoring an average of 1.9 goals per game while conceding 1.2.

His Shanghai Port side scored 96 times in a 30-game league-winning campaign last year.

It has not all been rosy in Muscat’s managerial career. His only foray into Europe lasted just 14 games and six months with struggling Belgian side Sint-Truiden.

Muscat only won two of his 14 fixtures before he was sacked in December 2020 with the club in relegation trouble.

There was no real upturn in form following his exit, with the team going on to finish the campaign seven points outside of the relegation spots.

It seemed whoever replaced Martin would have a hard time winning over the support following Gerrard’s withdrawal.

However, it appears Muscat would be a popular appointment among the fans.

His reputation as a player suggests he is not be someone to be messed with, which is perhaps appealing to the support given their team’s fragile displays this term.

But leading a side is about more than being able to deliver the hairdryer treatment, and Muscat has shown he can win in three different countries.

A treble winner in his only season in Glasgow, he will also be well aware of the pressure and demands at Ibrox, although that did little to help Martin, who also had a brief spell at Rangers as a player.

Having enjoyed success in Australia and Japan, just like Postecoglou, Muscat’s record reads eerily similar to the former Tottenham boss’ pre-Celtic CV.