Pre-World Cup 2026 friendlies: England-Uruguay, likely lineups

England and Uruguay will face each other at 8:45 p.m. Friday in a friendly match in preparation for the 2026 World Cup in Canada, the United States and Mexico. The match will be held at Wembley Stadium.

England is coming off a perfect qualifying round, where they won all their matches without conceding a goal, and will head against a certainly more probing opponent, the Celeste who finished fourth in the South American round of World Cup qualifiers.

Thomas Tuchel wants to test several players ahead of the World Cup, and he rejoins a great protagonist from the past such as Harry Maguire. Space then is made for an experimental attack with Calver-Lewin up front, and on the trequartista line Bowen, Solanke, Grealish. Top players such as Kane, Bellingham and Saka will play from 1′ the next match against Japan. In the midfield are Mainoo and Gardner, full-backs Livramento and Hall.

Uruguay responds with the trident formed by Pellistri, Darwin Nuñez, Araujo, midfield will be Valverde, Ugarte, De La Cruz. On the flanks will joust Nandez and Olivera.

England-Uruguay, the likely lineups
England (4-2-3-1): Steele; Livramento, Maguire, Quansah, Hall; Mainoo, Garner; Bowen, Solanke, Grealish; Calvert-Lewin.
Uruguay (4-3-3): Rochet; Nandez, Gimenez, Araujo, Olivera; Valverde, Ugarte, De La Cruz; Pellistri, Nuñez, Araujo.