England vs Uruguay – News and Probable Lineups

England will enhance their preparations for the 2026 World Cup at Wembley this Friday, as the Three Lions face Uruguay in a friendly match.

Thomas Tuchel’s squad is gearing up for their opening tournament fixture against Croatia on June 17, while Uruguay will kick off their campaign against Saudi Arabia on June 15.

Match overview

The expectations are high for England at the 2026 World Cup, as falling short of the semi-finals would likely be seen as a significant letdown, and they are among the top contenders to secure the coveted trophy this summer.

England flawlessly navigated Group K, winning all eight matches, netting 22 goals while conceding none, and finished at the top of their World Cup qualification group with 24 points. They have triumphed in each of their last six matches across all competitions.

The Three Lions last participated in a friendly in October 2025, securing a 3-0 victory over Wales, which preceded wins against Latvia, Serbia, and Albania, concluding their Group K campaign on a high note.

England is set to play Uruguay, Japan, New Zealand, and Costa Rica in four friendlies leading up to the World Cup, before commencing their tournament against Croatia on June 17.

Tuchel’s team will also face Ghana and Panama during the group phase of the 2026 tournament, and it would be historic if they fail to advance into the knockout rounds.

Uruguay will also compete in the 2026 World Cup, having finished fourth in their South American qualification group behind Argentina, Ecuador, and Colombia, placing above fifth-positioned Brazil in the standings.

Marcelo Bielsa’s team is not regarded as strong contenders for the trophy this summer, but they can pose a significant threat and should challenge England in their friendly match, which both teams need at this stage of their training.

Uruguay has lifted the World Cup twice before, achieving fourth place in 2010 and reaching the quarter-finals in 2018, while experiencing a group-stage exit in 2022.

La Celeste has two wins, one draw, and one loss in their most recent four friendly matches, with their last fixture ending in a 5-1 defeat against the United States in November 2025.

Uruguay and England have met 11 times previously, with Uruguay holding a 5-3 advantage in their head-to-head record, including a 2-1 victory in the last encounter during the finals of the 2014 World Cup.

England friendlies form:

LDOLLW

England form (all competitions):

WWWWWW

Uruguay friendlies form:

WDWWDL

Uruguay form (all competitions):

WDWWDL

Team News

Dean Henderson, Dan Burn, Marc Guehi, Ezri Konsa, Nico O’Reilly, Elliot Anderson, Declan Rice, Morgan Rogers, Anthony Gordon, Harry Kane, and Bukayo Saka will join the squad preparing for the match against Japan, thus they will be unavailable for Friday’s game against Uruguay.

As a consequence, Harry Maguire and John Stones may partner each other in the central defence, with Kobbie Mainoo and Adam Wharton likely starting in midfield.

Further upfield, a fit-again Jude Bellingham is expected to start, while Cole Palmer, Marcus Rashford, and Jarrod Bowen may also be included in the opening lineup.

The recent withdrawals of Jarell Quansah and Eberechi Eze have led to Ben White and Harvey Barnes being added to the squad.

On the other side, Uruguay has a mix of well-known players, even with the departures of Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani.

Ronald Araujo from Barcelona and Federico Valverde from Real Madrid are anticipated to be key starters for the visitors at Wembley, alongside Manuel Ugarte, who despite limited appearances at Manchester United this season, is likely to feature in midfield.

Darwin Nunez has scored 13 goals in 36 caps for his country, and the former Liverpool striker is poised to play in a forward role.

England probable starting XI:

Pickford; Livramento, Stones, Maguire, Hall; Mainoo, Wharton; Palmer, Bellingham, Rashford; Bowen

Uruguay probable starting XI:

Legguard; Valera, R Araujo, Gimenez, Vina; Valverde, Ugarte; Sanabria, De Arrascaeta, M Araujo; Nunez

Although England will be missing several crucial players on Friday evening, Tuchel still has an array of talented individuals to rely on, and we anticipate that the Three Lions will emerge victorious in a tight contest.