England vs Uruguay: Prediction, kick-off time, TV, live stream, team news, h2h results, odds | OneFootball

Thomas Tuchel’s Three Lions step up World Cup preparations in first of two Wembley friendlies

England continue their World Cup preparations on Friday night with a Wembley friendly against Uruguay.

These games are the last chance for players to impress head coach Thomas Tuchel before he names his squad for this summer’s World Cup finals in North America, where they contest Group L alongside Croatia, Ghana and Panama.

England also play New Zealand and Costa Rica in pre-tournament friendlies in June, but by then they will be Stateside with their World Cup squad, which must be confirmed by May 30.

Tuchel has named an expanded 35-man group for this camp, with the squad essentially split across the two games and 11 players joining up late.

Uruguay are also World Cup-bound, drawn in Group H with Saudi Arabia, debutants Cape Verde and Spain.

Coached by Argentine former Leeds favourite Marcelo Bielsa, La Celeste - who play Algeria in Turin next week - finished fourth in South American qualifying, above Brazil but behind reigning world champions Argentina, Ecuador and Colombia.

Date, kick-off time and venue

England vs Uruguay is scheduled for a 7:45pm GMT kick-off on Friday March 27, 2026.

The match will take place at Wembley Stadium in north-west London.

Where to watch England vs Uruguay

TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live and free to air on ITV1. The broadcast begins at 7pm.

Live stream: You can also watch the contest live online via the ITVX website and app, which is free with a registration.

Live blog: Follow the match with Standard Sport’s live blog, with expert analysis from Dom Smith at Wembley.

England vs Uruguay team news

As mentioned, England have named a bumper 35-man squad for these friendlies, effectively splitting it across the two games - partly to give everyone a chance to stake their World Cup claim and also to rest players who have racked up a lot of minutes this season.

Dean Henderson, Dan Burn, Marc Guehi, Ezri Konsa, Nico O'Reilly, Elliot Anderson, Declan Rice, Morgan Rogers, Anthony Gordon, Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka are the 11 players who will head to St George’s Park after the Uruguay game, ready to meet Japan.

That means that Tuchel should have 24 players to pick from against Uruguay, though Arsenal midfielder Eberechi Eze and Bayer Leverkusen defender Jarell Quansah have both withdrawn due to injury.

Ben White has not been involved for England since making an early exit from the 2022 World Cup

Lee Smith/PA Wire

That has led to a first England return in four years for Arsenal’s Ben White and a call-up for Newcastle’s Harvey Barnes, who recently turned down the chance to switch his international allegiance to Scotland ahead of the World Cup.

Harry Maguire and Kobbie Mainoo are back, while there are returns for the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Fikayo Tomori, plus first time call-ups for James Garner and Jason Steele, who arrives with a view to being England’s training goalkeeper this summer.

Tuchel decided against calling up Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ollie Watkins, Danny Welbeck, Max Dowman and Alex Scott, with Reece James and Trevoh Chalobah among the injury absentees.

Jude Bellingham makes it after returning off the bench from a hamstring injury for Real Madrid in their LaLiga derby win over Atletico on Sunday.

Uruguay’s squad includes two Premier League-based players in Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte and Wolves defender Santiago Bueno.

Real Madrid star Federico Valverde is one of Uruguay’s most important players

Getty Images

Also among their ranks is Real Madrid star Federico Valverde, vice-captain to Jose Maria Gimenez, plus Barcelona’s Ronald Araujo, ex-Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez and former Manchester United winger Facundo Pellistri.

39-year-old goalkeeper Fernando Muslera, who has 133 caps, is back for the first time since 2022, but there is no Rodrigo Bentancur or Lucas Torreira. Luis Suarez retired from international football in 2024.

England vs Uruguay prediction

England are without a number of key rested stars for this game including captain Kane, Rice, Guehi, Saka, Anderson and Rogers.

While that will leave them notably understrength, it is nevertheless a golden opportunity for those on the fringes of World Cup contention to earn their places on the plane this summer.

Uruguay are strong opponents who boast a good squad full of talented players under the influential and often box-office Bielsa, and should provide stern opposition at Wembley.

Draw, 1-1.

Head to head (h2h) history and results

England and Uruguay have not met since the 2014 World Cup, when Luis Suarez’s brace secured a 2-1 win in Sao Paulo as Roy Hodgson’s dismal Three Lions crashed out in the group stage.

Their only other match this century came in the build-up to the 2006 World Cup, when Peter Crouch and Joe Cole got the goals in a last-gasp 2-1 friendly victory at Wembley under the late Sven-Goran Eriksson.

England wins: 3

Uruguay wins: 5

Draws: 3

England vs Uruguay match odds

England to win: 40/85

Uruguay to win: 11/2

Draw: 3/1

Odds via Betfair (subject to change).