England XI vs Wales: Confirmed team news, predicted lineup and injury latest for friendly

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Evening Standard

·8 October 2025

England XI vs Wales: Confirmed team news, predicted lineup and injury latest for friendly

No Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer or Jack Grealish for the Three Lions but Bukayo Saka returns

Thomas Tuchel may be without captain Harry Kane when England host Wales in a friendly at Wembley on Thursday night.

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The Three Lions boss has named a very similar squad to that for last month’s World Cup qualifiers, with only injury-enforced changes made following the 2-0 home defeat of Andorra and 5-0 demolition of Serbia in Belgrade.

That means there will be no Jude Bellingham, Adam Wharton, Phil Foden or Jack Grealish involved against Wales or in next Tuesday’s qualifier in Latvia, when England could officially secure their place at next summer’s World Cup.

Chelsea captain Reece James was initially named in the squad last Friday but has since dropped out as a precaution. He was replaced by 20-year-old Manchester City left-back Nico O’Reilly, handed his first senior international call-up.

But Kane was following his own individiualised training programme indoors on Wednesday morning, meaning he did not join the 22 players who took part in Tuchel’s main training session at St George’s Park.

Also training indoors was Jarell Quansah, who may also now be considered a doubt for the game against Wales.

Marc Guehi will join Tuchel in the pre-match press conference on Wednesday night, meaning he is set to start the match.

Bukayo Saka has returned to the England fold after injury, but his Arsenal team-mate Noni Madueke is now sidelined. Also unavailable due to injury issues are Cole Palmer, Levi Colwill and Real Madrid’s Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Tuchel must decide in which of the two matches this month he wishes to name a more experimental lineup. While the Wales game is only a friendly, Craig Bellamy’s men will likely represent a sterner challenge than Latvia.

The uncapped trio of O’Reilly, Quansah and goalkeeper James Trafford will all be hoping to be earn their senior international debuts. AC Milan midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek would earn his first cap since 2018 if called upon for either game.

Tottenham’s Djed Spence, who made his England debut last month, is the only recognised right-back in the squad, but Quansah and Ezri Konsa can both deputise there if needed.

Predicted England XI (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Spence, Stones, Guehi, Lewis-Skelly; Anderson, Rice; Saka, Rogers, Gordon; Watkins

Doubts: Kane, Quansah

Injured: Palmer, James, Madueke, Alexander-Arnold, Colwill

Time and date: 7:45pm BST on Thursday October 9, 2025

Venue: Wembley Stadium, London

How to watch: ITV