Why England Can Win the 2026 FIFA World Cup

England would enter the 2026 FIFA World Cup as one of the favourites to win the competition after they were superb during the qualification stage, winning all their matches without conceding a goal.

Thomas Tuchel is working with one of the strongest England squads ever, and he is a top manager who has won the biggest competitions in club football.

England has also been placed in a group that is not as strong as that of some of their rivals, so we expect them to qualify from it and do well in the knockout rounds. 

In this article, we look at the main reason why we believe they are one of the favourites to lift the World Cup trophy when the competition ends.

Teams like Spain, Germany and France will rival them for the crown, but England’s depth and tactical strength places them as one of the best teams in the competition this year.

England’s dominant qualifying campaign and current form

When Tuchel took over from Gareth Southgate, who left his role after the Euro 2024 final, no one knew what to expect.

The English FA opted for the German after his successful spell as manager of Chelsea and Bayern Munich, among other clubs.

Tuchel may not have been a popular choice when he first came on board, but he is proving his doubters wrong as he has made England the first European team to qualify for the competition, securing their spot without dropping a single point.

He has brought organisation and seriousness to the England camp, forcing their players to stay disciplined and committed to the team or face being left out of the squads.

In friendly games, the German often experiments with his tactics and selection, and most of them have ended well, but England has truly made it hard to beat them in competitive matches.

The Three Lions are showing improved cohesion and attacking fluidity. In FIFA rankings, they have consistently stayed inside the top four, which is a clear sign that they are one of the best teams in the tournament.

Squad depth

England has another Golden Generation on their hands now, and their biggest strength is their squad depth, making them the team with arguably the deepest squad depth in the world.

In the March squad announcement, Tuchel left out Trent Alexander-Arnold in a clear message that he may not go to the World Cup, which shows the stunning depth the Three Lions have at the moment.

Predicted best lineup under Tuchel:

GK: Jordan Pickford

Def: Reece James, Marc Guehi, John Stones, Nico O'Reilly

Mid: Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson, Jude Bellingham

Att: Bukayo Saka, Harry Kane, Anthony Gordon

Key strengths:

Harry Kane: Kane remains one of the world’s most lethal strikers, and he is a superb leader, which is why he has remained the team’s captain. He would provide important leadership and guidance to the team.

Attacking talent: Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham, and emerging options like Anthony Gordon or Morgan Rogers means England will always have attacking threats in matches.

Midfield control: With the likes of Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham, England can easily control matches, dominating midfield with their dynamism when you add Anderson and Adam Wharton to the mix.

Defensive solidity: At the back, England has some of the best defenders in Europe, providing Tuchel with several options to pair top players during the competition.

Goalkeeping stability: Pickford has been England’s number one for a long time and has always delivered, giving Tuchel stability in goal, with the likes of Dean Henderson able to also deputise well for him.

Favourable group stage draw

England has been drawn in group L at the 2026 FIFA World Cup and are heavy favourite to top the group. Their opponents are Croatia (the hardest team), Ghana and Panama.

With a top-two spot guaranteeing passage to the next round of the competition, this group represents an easy draw for the England national team, and we expect them to make progress.

Tuchel’s tactics

Tuchel is known for his organisation and adaptation, which he has brought to the England team since he was named their manager.

The German is one of the coaches who prioritise defensive discipline even when he wants his team to be proactive and dominate possession.

England’s qualifying clean sheets are a clear demonstration of his impact. Unlike previous England teams that were criticised for negativity, Tuchel’s flexibility allows England to dominate games and exploit transitions effectively without needing to stay boring and defensive, as was the case under Southgate.

Recent history

Although the Three Lions have yet to win a World Cup since 1966, they have recently been one of the best-performing teams at international competitions.

They reached the semifinal of the World Cup in 2018, were finalists at Euro 2020, before reaching the final again in 2024.

They lost both European finals, but the current team seems like the group that can finally end their wait for a major competition, which could happen in North America in the summer.

Tuchel is also a manager who knows how to navigate the knockout stage of competitions, having reached the Champions League final in 2020 with PSG before winning the competition with Chelsea the following year.

Supporters' impact on England ticket sales

England, being one of the strongest teams to win the competition, will drive massive ticket demand in host cities, especially because the USMNT are adjacent to them or high-profile venues like SoFi Stadium and MetLife Stadium. 

For fans targeting value in some England games, the matches against Panama and Ghana, but England games in the knockout stage of the competition will surely cost much more money.
England is already one of the well-known teams in the world, but if they have a successful campaign, they will spark more interest in their matches beyond the competition. 

Fans planning to travel should monitor LocoTickets.com for early deals on group and potential knockout tickets.

England World Cup match tickets and the current lowest prices on LocoTickets

Conclusion

We all consider England one of the favourites to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and it is not a surprise because the Three Lions have the talent and manager to finally bring the trophy back home.

The current generation of England stars know that this might be their last chance to win the tournament; otherwise, they may never come close for a long time.