Preview: England vs Uruguay – stats, team news, line-ups | OneFootball

England welcome Uruguay to Wembley Stadium for an international friendly on Friday evening, with the Three Lions set to continue their preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

This is one of England’s two friendly games scheduled for this month in the build-up to the World Cup opener against Croatia on June 17.

Match Preview

Expectations are sky-high for England heading into the World Cup. Anything short of securing a spot in the final would likely be seen as a massive disappointment.

The Three Lions will head into the tournament as one of the early favourites, with Tuchel’s troops fancied to go all the way this summer.

Their journey to the tournament could hardly have been smoother. England dominated their qualification group, winning all eight matches, scoring 22 goals without conceding any.

That record is hardly a reflection of their competence, considering the calibre of opponents they faced in Group K, but the flawless run was a massive morale boost nonetheless.

Recent performances have only added to the optimism, with England winning all of their last six games across all competitions.

The last time England played in a friendly was back in October 2025 when they beat Wales 3-0, courtesy of goals from Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins, and Bukayo Saka.

That victory preceded three consecutive qualifier wins against Latvia, Serbia, and Albania as the Three Lions wrapped up their campaign in style.

England will now continue their preparation for the World Cup with a series of friendlies that kicks off with Friday’s showdown against Uruguay.

Interestingly, the Three Lions have won just one of their last six games against Uruguay in all competitions (D2, L3).

They have also won just three of their 11 meetings with the South American giants (D3, L5).

After Friday’s outing, England will also face Japan, New Zealand, and Costa Rica in their four international friendlies ahead of the World Cup opener.

There is nearly as much pressure on Uruguay to perform at the World Cup as Friday’s hosts.

However, the South Americans will be determined to prove that they have what it takes to rub shoulders with the best in the world, particularly after their performance in the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers.

Uruguay finished fourth in one of the most gruesome qualifying campaigns, level on points with Colombia and just one behind second-placed Ecuador.

While they were miles off group winners and World Cup holders Argentina, Uruguay can take pride in the fact that they finished ahead of continental powerhouse Brazil.

Marcelo Bielsa’s troops won’t be seen as a threat in the tournament, but they’ll undoubtedly be one of the most unpredictable teams in the World Cup.

Uruguay have a history of giving the strongest sides a run for their money and will fancy their chances of maintaining that reputation on the biggest stage in football.

Their upcoming contest with England is an ideal chance to prove they have what it takes to go toe-to-toe with the world’s best, although their record against the Three Lions is more than impressive.

Just three defeats across 11 games in all competitions (W5, D3) prove Uruguay can hold their own when it matters, but the upcoming friendly will allow them to fine-tune their preparations ahead of the competition.

The two-time world champions will be looking to banish the memory of their early exit in 2022 and instead replicate their fourth-place finish in 2010 and a quarter-final run in 2018.

Team News

England will be without a host of players, with Dean Henderson, Dan Burn, Marc Guehi, Ezri Konsa, Nico O’Reilly, Elliot Anderson, Declan Rice, Morgan Rogers, Anthony Gordon, Harry Kane, and Bukayo Saka joining the squad for the Japan game.

That rules them out of Friday’s proceedings, leaving Tuchel short on firepower. Jarell Quansah and Eberechi Eze have also withdrawn from the squad, paving the way for Ben White and Harvey Barnes to step in.

Uruguay will be without the iconic duo of Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani, but still have plenty of high-profile names, including Federico Valverde and Darwin Nunez, who will be keen to make a difference against England.

England potential starting line-up:

(4-2-3-1): Jordan Pickford; Valentino Livramento, John Stones, Harry Maguire, Lewis Hall; Kobbie Mainoo, Adam Wharton; Cole Palmer, Jude Bellingham, Marcus Rashford; Jarrod Bowen

Uruguay potential starting line-up:

(4-2-3-1): Fernando Muslera; Guillermo Valera, Ronald Araujo, Jose Maria Gimenez, Matias Vina; Federico Valverde, Manuel Ugarte; Juan Manuel Sanabria, Giorgian De Arrascaeta, Maximiliano Araujo; Darwin Nunez.