Thomas Tuchel insists ‘anything is possible’ for England ahead of World Cup 2026 draw | OneFootball

England manager Thomas Tuchel has declared his squad will be "brave enough to dream" of World Cup glory next summer, as anticipation builds for Friday's finals draw.

Both England and Scotland are poised to discover their group stage adversaries when the draw takes place in Washington DC.

Tuchel's side already benefits from FIFA's new Wimbledon-style seeding system, ensuring they will avoid Spain or Argentina until the semi-finals, and France until the final, provided all four nations top their groups.

Appointed in autumn 2024, Tuchel's primary mandate was to secure a second star for the England shirt, complementing the one commemorating the 1966 World Cup triumph.

When questioned by BBC Sport about his increased confidence in England's chances compared to his initial appointment, Tuchel responded: "Yes, because we have got better. We have to arrive and try to make a special thing happen, but we cannot guarantee it."

In a separate interview with ITV Sport, he elaborated: "Everyone knows that we cannot promise that we will win it, but they want to see a team, team spirit, a team that gives everything (and) fights for each other and they want that if they are in the stadium or watching on the TV.

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Thomas Tuchel has revealed he could keep substitutes in the dressing room so they remain cool (John Walton/PA) (PA Wire)

“If the players bring that then I think anything is possible. We will be brave enough to dream about it, we will be brave enough to try it."

Coaches at the finals, primarily hosted by the United States with Canada and Mexico as co-hosts, will face the significant challenge of extreme heat.

Tuchel is exploring every avenue for success, even considering the unconventional tactic of keeping substitutes in the dressing room to remain cool – a strategy observed at last summer's Club World Cup in the US.

He told the BBC: "If this is what helps us later in the match when they come on, okay, we consider that as a possibility. Nobody likes it as I want the players to be out here and feel the energy and give the energy from the bench onto the field, but I know what you mean.

“I saw teams doing this and players doing this at the Club World Cup. Hopefully we can avoid it. It is always better if they can be with us."

Beyond England and Scotland, the Republic of Ireland could also qualify, alongside either Wales or Northern Ireland, pending the results of play-off matches scheduled for March.

Scotland, who secured their first finals berth since 1998 with a victory over Denmark last month, are in pot three for the draw and could potentially face England in the group stage.

The precise order of matches, locations, or kick-off times will not be known until Saturday, with FIFA set to unveil the full schedule at 5pm UK time on December 6.

Next summer's tournament marks a significant expansion, being the first to feature 48 teams and introduce a round of 32.

The draw, set to unfold at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, is widely expected to feature Donald Trump, who has cultivated a close relationship with FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

Speculation is rife that FIFA will present him with its inaugural peace prize during the ceremony, a move that follows Infantino's previous commendations of Trump's efforts towards a Middle East ceasefire.

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Donald Trump is expected to attend the World Cup draw (REUTERS)

However, human rights organisations have voiced concerns regarding the implications of Trump's administration policies on individual liberties.

Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, and Wales will all be placed in pot four for Friday's draw.

Should both teams triumph in their semi-finals, Wales would host Northern Ireland in a decisive one-off match for a spot at next summer's tournament.

Wales faces a home fixture against Bosnia-Herzegovina, while Michael O'Neill's squad travels to Italy.

The Republic of Ireland's path requires an away victory against the Czech Republic, followed by another away win against either Denmark or North Macedonia to secure success in play-off path D.