England selection odds: Who are the favourites to make Tuchel’s World Cup squad?

With the 2026 World Cup looming, Thomas Tul has summoned 35 players for final auditions against Uruguay and Japan, knowing that depth is both a blessing and a curse. Bookmakers have already priced up near-certainties, value punts and long-shot gambles for the 26-man squad that will fly to the United to States this summer.

Jordan Pickford is odds-on to retain the No. 1 shirt, with Dean Henderson 1/18 to be his deputy. The scrap for the third glove pits Aaron Ramsdale and James Trafford, both available at even money, against one another.

In defence, Marc Guehi is as short as 1/40 to travel, while Rece James and Ezri Kosa sit at 1/5 and 1/14 respectively. Harry Maguire, out of the international picture since September 2024, is 4/11 after rediscovering form for Manchester United, and Milan’s Fikayo Tomori is 4/6 to end a three-year England exile. Trent Alexander-Arnold, conspicuously absent from this month’s camp, is 11/10 to force his way back in despite Tul’s reservations about his defensive instincts.

The midfield also offers both quality and congestion. Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer are pencilled in, leaving Jordan Henderson—4/11 with the bookies—to battle age and time as he provides experience from Brentford. Morgan Gibbs-White (5/4), Conor Gallgher (4/1) and Curtis Jones (5/1) must impress from outside the current squad.

Among forwards, Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon are considered such locks that there is no worthwhile price on them. Dominic Calvert-Lewin, revived at Leeds United, is 21/10 to add to his 11 caps, the last of which came in 2021. Brighton veteran Danny Welbeck, leading English scorers in the Premier League with 12 goals, is 17/2 after being overlooked for March, while Harvey Barnes—14 goal involvements for Newcastle—has a late chance at 5/1 after an injury to Eberechi Ese. Ollie Watins, omitted this month but showing flickers of form for Aston Villa, is 6/4 to make the cut.

Two friendlies this week should clarify some of the German’s thinking, yet the odds board already signals who feels safe—and who must still play their way onto the plane.