England squad: Trent Alexander-Arnold omitted from 35-man group as Harry Maguire and Kobbie Mainoo return
England boss Thomas Tuchel has named a 35-man squad to give fringe players an audition ahead of the World Cup in friendlies against Uruguay and Japan at Wembley with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ollie Watkins and Luke Shaw among the big omissions as James Garner earns first senior call-up
Friday 20 March 2026 15:06, UK
Trent Alexander-Arnold was the big omission from England's shock 35-man squad as Harry Maguire and Kobbie Mainoo were called up for the first time under Thomas Tuchel.
Aston Villa's out-of-form striker Ollie Watkins also misses out despite Tuchel naming 10 forwards in an extraordinary squad selection that hands a group of fringe players one last audition before the 2026 World Cup.
Leeds' Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Tottenham's Dominic Solanke are the two out-and-out strikers called up, along with Harry Kane, to compete for the role of the captain's back-up in friendlies against Uruguay (March 27) and Japan (March 31) at Wembley.
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Maguire and Mainoo are the Manchester United players Tuchel has called up as England boss, but Luke Shaw has been omitted from this extended squad.
"I know it's a tough decision for Trent as it is for Ollie Watkins and Luke Shaw," said Tuchel when asked about the omission of such senior players so close to a World Cup squad announcement.
"These tough decisions come with the job. It's a sporting decision. We stick with Quansah, Livramento and Spence.
"It's a decision for Solanke and Calvert-Lewin, who I don't know as well as Watkins. I have a clear picture of what he can give us. I want to have a look at other players to get a clearer picture.
"I know it's a big name, a huge talent and big career. But I know what Trent can give us."
Everton midfielder James Garner has earned his first inclusion in a senior international squad, while there is also a shock recall for AC Milan defender Fikayo Tomori, who last played for England in 2023.
Tuchel says he has chosen this squad, which will essentially be split up into separate camps for each game, "to open up the competition for plane tickets to the US".
Only 24 of Tuchel's squad will join up for the first friendly against Uruguay, before 11 others arrive in camp ahead of the Japan game as the manager looks to balance his needs against a punishing domestic schedule.
"All of these guys have played 3,500 minutes or more this season," explained Tuchel. "Some have already played more minutes than the whole of last season and there is still a lot of football to play.
"All of them have contributed in September, October or November and have a bit of credit with me. We think that to give them a break mentally and physically will benefit us. They will come with hunger."
Brighton's back-up goalkeeper Jason Steele, who is uncapped and has not played in the Premier League since August 2024, is named in the squad as what Tuchel has called a "trial" for a special role planned for the World Cup.
Revealing England would take four goalkeepers to the tournament, Tuchel said: "[Steele] will support the goalkeeper group. He will support the goalkeeper coach.
"He will support a penalty-taking group and take a lot of workload off the other shoulders. That's why we need an experienced guy."
He added: "Nobody is on the plane to America, but we identified Jason to be a very good candidate for this role. The trial is now the March camp."
Alex Scott and Nick Pope were named in the November England squad. They both miss out here, with Pope now having lost his place at club and international level to Aaron Ramsdale.
Ramsdale and Man City's James Trafford are in the squad along with first-choice Jordan Pickford and Dean Henderson.
Trevoh Chalobah and Reece James were in the November squad but are now out injured.
Tuchel explains 'extraordinary' squad selection
Explaining his extraordinary squad selection, Tuchel said: "We decided to divide it into two camps, almost. We have a camp where we bring players in who we haven't seen, who haven't played so much to open up the competition for plane tickets to the US.
"From Friday/Saturday, a group will come into camp who get a rest before. We will go with a new group of players into the match against Japan."
Sky Sports News has been told that each nation will be able to select 26 players for this summer's tournament.
'Never seen a camp like it' - will Tuchel experiment work?
Sky Sports News football correspondent Rob Dorsett:
"The 35 players' selection is fascinating. Not been done before, has it? It's a new approach and the one thing we've seen from Tuchel is that he's not afraid to rip up the copybook and try things.
"It's innovative. It's interesting to see if the dynamic works. If he's that clearly delineated in terms of these are our new guys, let's see how they get on and this is our more established players that we will give more rest to.
"That's going to lead to an interesting dynamic when it comes to picking the squad and seeing who is available and who is still in the camp by the time we get to that first game a week from tomorrow.
"I'm hugely surprised there's no Trent Alexander-Arnold.
"You have to say, he will be very fearful for his chances of making the World Cup squad now."
Full England squad list
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson, Jordan Pickford, James Trafford, Aaron Ramsdale, Jason Steele.
Defenders: Dan Burn, Marc Guehi, Lewis Hall, Ezri Konsa, Tino Livramento, Harry Maguire, Nico O'Reilly, Jarell Quansah, Djed Spence, John Stones, Fikayo Tomori.
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson, Jude Bellingham, James Garner, Jordan Henderson, Kobbie Mainoo, Declan Rice, Morgan Rogers, Adam Wharton.
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Eberechi Eze, Phil Foden, Anthony Gordon, Harry Kane, Noni Madueke, Cole Palmer, Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka, Dominic Solanke.
