Europe is finally kicking off the qualification cycle for the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in Canada, the USA, and Mexico. In Group K, England is set to face Albania.England is the absolute favorite in the match against Albania, and this long-anticipated encounter will mark the official debut of the new Three Lions head coach, German Thomas Tuchel, former manager of Chelsea, Bayern Munich, and Paris Saint-Germain. What Tuchel will bring to the national team remains to be seen, but he has already intrigued the public with some of his decisions.Our @FIFAWorldCup qualifying campaign starts here! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/jumC1ECQgh— England (@England) March 21, 2025 His squad selection was influenced by the absence of several injured players, including Trent Alexander-Arnold, Bukayo Saka, and Cole Palmer, with the latter being replaced by Morgan Gibbs-White. Interestingly, Tuchel left out Ollie Watkins and Conor Gallagher from the squad but brought back Jordan Henderson and Marcus Rashford, who had been sidelined under former coach Gareth Southgate. Some Premier League standouts will get their chance, including Dan Burn, Jarell Quansah, and Myles Lewis-Skelly, who are hoping to make their debuts.It’s time to reveal Thomas Tuchel’s first #ThreeLions squad! 👀🏴— England (@England) March 14, 2025 Regardless, much of the focus will still be on England’s star players—Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Phil Foden, and Declan Rice. For tonight’s clash, Tuchel had to cut three names from his extended squad, as UEFA allows only 23 players for matchday squads. As a result, Morgan Gibbs-White, Jarell Quansah, and Aaron Ramsdale will not be available against Albania.As the match approaches, Tuchel faces numerous questions and challenges. He has already outlined his vision for how he wants his team to play.”I’ve often heard that this jersey is hard to wear, but the truth is—it isn’t, though I understand what is meant by that. Watching the final stage of Euro 2024, I could feel the tension and pressure on the players’ shoulders; they were playing not to lose. I want us to play with excitement, hungry and eager for victory, and accepting failure is part of that, especially in football,” Tuchel said.Togetherness and creating a bond 🤝 pic.twitter.com/hkQRundhgg— England (@England) March 21, 2025 Experienced striker Harry Kane is expected to deliver goals. The Bayern Munich forward believes it’s time for England to finally win a major tournament.”We’ve come extremely close to becoming European champions twice. We’ve arguably been the most successful national team in the past 15 years, but we will always be judged on whether we win a final or not. When we started with Gareth, our focus was just on reaching the semifinals and finals and repeating that. Now, we’re at the stage where we truly believe it’s time to win something,” Kane stated ambitiously.2026 WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS – EUROPEFriday20:00: (1.18) Cyprus (7.00) San Marino (16.0)22:45: (4.20) Andorra (3.20) Latvia (2.00)22:45: (1.15) England (9.50) Albania (19.0)22:45: (5.20) Malta (3.45) Finland (1.75)22:45: (1.20) Poland (6.75) Lithuania (14.0)22:45: (2.00) Romania (3.50) B&H (4.10)***odds are subject to change***
