England’s World Cup adventure begins on tonight when they face New Zealand in the first of their three pre-tournament warm-up friendlies. Thomas Tuchel’s team meet the Kiwis at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. There will be no involvement for Arsenal players Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze or Noni Madueke, with the members of the Gunners’ squad only due to join up with England on Saturday itself after being given an extra few days off following their involvement in last weekend’s Champions League
final. Tuchel will be keen to experiment in his three friendlies against New Zealand, Miami United and, next Wednesday, Costa Rica before flying to Kansas City for the beginning of the World Cup. Asked who he will field against New Zealand, Tuchel said on Friday: “We will share the minutes. We will just give everyone the minutes and give everyone a go. But it’s also to reconnect to our identity and the stuff we did well.” The England manager will be expected to take a
look at understudy goalkeepers Dean Henderson and James Trafford at some point during the two games. Henderson only joined up with the squad in Florida on Wednesday following an extended rest period of his own after keeping a clean sheet for Crystal Palace in last week’s Conference League final triumph in Leipzig. Morgan Rogers and Jude Bellingham will be competing for game time in the No10 position, but Tuchel may have to find a workaround at right wing, where both Saka and his understudy Madueke
are unavailable and West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen was left out of the squad. That could mean using Rogers on the right or asking one of the two left wingers, Anthony Gordon and Marcus Rashford, to switch wings. Ezri Konsa will start either at centre-back or right-back against New Zealand. Ethan Nwaneri, Josh King, Rio Ngumoha, Jason Steele and Alex Scott have been training with the squad in Florida and are available to make their international debuts in either the New Zealand or Costa Rica games.
However, none have been named in the World Cup squad itself and so will be flying home after the end of England’s 11-day training camp. Scott is said to be in with a shout to make his international debut. England predicted XI vs New Zealand (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Konsa, Stones, Guehi, O’Reilly; Mainoo, Henderson; Rashford, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane Not available: Rice, Saka, Madueke, Eze Time and date: 9pm BST on Saturday June 6, 2026 Venue: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
England vs New Zealand, predicted lineup, confirmed team news, injury latest, Thomas Tuchel, Raymond James Stadium Tampa, World Cup warm-up friendlies, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze, Noni Madueke, Dean Henderson, James Trafford, Morgan Rogers, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon, Marcus Rashford, Ezri Konsa
So Saka not even playing? What’s the point of a warmup if your best guy is chillin.
I don’t get it, they said they’re gonna share minutes but then everyone’s “not available.” Like… everyone means who?
Tuchel playing backup keepers like Henderson and Trafford is kinda risky ngl. Also if Bowen left out and Saka’s gone then Rashford right wing?? I feel like this is how teams lose chemistry.
England in Tampa and then Kansas City for the World Cup stuff, cool cool. But why are they saying some guys can debut like Ethan Nwaneri and Alex Scott and then “none have been named in the World Cup squad”?? Sounds like a tease. I’m guessing they just don’t want anyone to get injured before the tournament but then why even call it a warm-up lol.