Coach Thomas Tuchel spoke sky sports newsFollowing the draw for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, chief reporter Kabe Solhekol answered questions on a range of key issues surrounding the appointment of England head coach, including whether Harry Kane was first choice and remained captain.
England’s record scorer came under fire during Euro 2024 but was named on the bench by caretaker manager Lee Kearsley for the must-win Nations League match in Greece last month.
Read what we learned from Tuchel about his views on Kane and his role in the team, and his verdict on Chelsea’s rising star Cole Palmer, England’s World Cup qualifying group opponent Please take a look. Whether he has held any takeover talks with Carsley or former Three Lions manager Gareth Southgate…
Kane is likely to remain captain and regular starter under Tuchel…
“At the moment there is no need to consider other options, and the same goes for the other players. We absolutely… respect his qualities, his leadership and his character. In the end it is up to the players to decide.” It’s always like that, play or don’t play.
“I’m delighted to have these players, including Harry, who have great character and quality. Our job now is to create the best group of players that people will be excited about when they see us and feel inspired when they look at this team. It’s about finding and creating.”
Tuchel will likely be in the spotlight in Premier League games starting in January…
“We can meet at the stadium from January, yes. Now that we’re engaged, we’ll start work with the autograph.” [in the project] and today [the draw] It was the kick-off of our World Cup campaign so obviously we had to go there. ”
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Speaking at the unveiling of a statue and mural in his honor, England captain Harry Kane said he can’t wait to work with new head coach Thomas Tuchel and has no plans to quit anytime soon.
But where will he be based?
“I won’t give you my address! Otherwise you’ll be showing up at my door every week! I like you, but I don’t like you that much!”
“Of course we go to St George’s Park regularly.” [the FA’s national football centre] Because this is where we are based, this is where we want to create the atmosphere, and this is where we are happy to engage with everyone who works at FA. We want to interact with them, use quality and feel the place.
“I’m going to watch a lot of games from January. I want to watch the games live and I’m going to talk to the players, but not to interfere too much. They’re club players and they should focus on that. I’ll see you soon. “I’ll be doing a lot of stadium stuff from January onwards. ”
What did he think of England’s Nations League performance under manager Lee Kearsley, who beat Greece and the Republic of Ireland to win promotion to the top tier in November?
“Of course I watched the game, and I wished Lee luck and congratulated him after the game.I was happy because I always felt that Lee made the right decision to play the full game and finish the job. He was great, the players did great things.
“They had a tough time with a lot of injuries and they really needed a result in Greece. They got the result and got the job done. Congratulations, well done. We were watching on TV.”
Did England resemble World Cup winners?
“We have known this for a long time, watching the games, we have the players, the talent and the characteristics to go far. But now, first of all, we have to prove it in the qualification. The gap between the teams has narrowed.” It’s difficult for all tournaments, big and small, to come to a close, so we have to show the highest level of respect and show our top level from the start in March. Must be. ”
How will Cole Palmer fit into Thomas Tuchel’s England team?
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Watch in slow motion as Cole Palmer dances through the Tottenham defense before Enzo Fernandes scores.
“It’s a bit of a stretch to mention individual players! But he’s definitely doing well. I think we can all agree on this. Hopefully he can still develop and continue to raise the level. Everyone enjoys watching him. He’s cool, calm, and very impressive at the moment in terms of finishing and assisting. ”
There was no major handover from Carsley and no Three Lions document.
“We have exchanged messages, but there is no such thing as a famous document! We will be working at St George’s from January and it is very regular and I hope it becomes normal, because I’m interested in his perspective.”About the candidate [selections]about the match, about the group’s potential, and how he felt about his experience with the group. We will continue to keep in touch. He’s the U21 coach and I’m very close to him, so I’ll have plenty of time from January onwards. [to talk]. ”
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Manager Lee Carsley has reacted to England’s 5-0 victory over Ireland, his last game as caretaker manager. Carsley hopes to meet with manager Thomas Tuchel soon to provide details of the handover to the new manager.
It is likely that he will catch up with Gareth Southgate in 2025…
“Not yet, but it’s coming. He’s a gentleman and I met him before when I was at Chelsea. It was a pleasure to talk to him. Why shouldn’t I?”
Tuchel has no intention of taking England’s World Cup qualifying opponents lightly. Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra will be in the Three Lions…
“I have a lot of respect for Serbia and Albania. They can always surprise. They have a strong history of football, technical football, emotional crowds, emotional players and emotional groups. They have a famous former player as their coach, so we have to work very closely together.” We understand that.
“England have never played Latvia before, so this is a new experience for all of us. And we are big favorites to play Andorra, but we have to qualify, which is the most important thing. Here’s everything Take it seriously, treat it with respect, and make it come true before you dream it.”
And finally, don’t expect him to start wearing suits…
[Speaking in a smart suit] – “Things change! Even the FA tie! It’s comfortable. It’s not going to be my outfit on the sideline. I need to move around more freely. But it was nice to wear it for this occasion!”
2026 World Cup European Qualifiers: Important dates
- Group stage match dates: March 21-25, June 6-10, September 4-9, October 9-14, November 13-18, 2025
- Playoff Game Dates: March 26-31, 2026
- Final tournament date: June 11th to July 19th, 2026
When and where will the 2026 World Cup be held?
The 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup will be held from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
The tournament will be held in 16 cities across three North American countries. US, Canada and Mexico. This is the first time that the World Cup will be held in three countries.
The last time the tournament was held in North America was in 1994, when Brazil defeated Italy in a penalty shootout to win the tournament.
The expanded World Cup will feature 48 teams, 16 more than the 2022 edition in Qatar, and will be held across three host countries for the first time.
2026 World Cup – Qualified Teams
So far, only three hosts have secured a place in the finals. America, Canada and Mexico.
2026 World Cup Schedule
The full match list, including group matches and kick-off times, will only be available after the draw for the finals, which FIFA says is expected to be held at the end of 2025.
However, FIFA has already announced the key dates, confirming that the opening game will be held in Mexico City and the final will be played at New York-New Jersey Stadium, home of the New York Giants and New York Jets.
Group stage: June 11th to 27th Round 32: June 28th – July 3rd Round 16: July 4th to July 7th quarterfinals: July 9th to 11th Semi-finals: July 14th-15th Third place match (“Bronze Final”): July 18th final: July 19th
