England face Japan at Wembley on Tuesday in what should be a useful test for Thomas Tuchel’s side as they continue their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
England are currently on a seven-match unbeaten run in all competitions. They have lost just once since October 2024 while playing 14 matches in this period.
England vs Japan – Match preview and team news
- Date: Tuesday, 31st March.
- Kick-off: 7:45pm BST.
- Venue: Wembley Stadium, London.
England team news
England will be without at least eight players for Tuesday’s friendly against Japan, with Thomas Tuchel forced to reshape his squad ahead of the Wembley clash.
Noni Madueke picked up an injury during the draw with Uruguay. John Stones also suffered a knock before that match.
Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka have since returned to Arsenal for medical checks, while Fikayo Tomori, Aaron Ramsdale and Dominic Calvert-Lewin have also headed back to their clubs.
That leaves Tuchel with a trimmed 27-man group still available for selection, giving him enough depth to finish the international break with a competitive side.
The likes of Harry Kane, Morgan Rogers, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon, Marc Guéhi and Elliot Anderson are all set to return for England, with Thomas Tuchel likely to name a starting XI that looks closer to the one he has in mind for the World Cup.
Japan team news
Japan are dealing with a similar problem, with former Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu forced to pull out of the squad because of injury.
The good news for Hajime Moriyasu is that Japan came through their trip to Hampden Park without any fresh injury concerns, leaving the head coach with plenty of options for Tuesday’s friendly against England at Wembley.
Brighton forward Kaoru Mitoma and Crystal Palace midfielder Daichi Kamada were both used off the bench against Scotland, but they are expected to return to the starting line-up against the Three Lions.
Form
England
The Three Lions are adjusting to life under Thomas Tuchel. While they have maintained strong results in World Cup qualifying with eight wins out of eight matches and have not even conceded a single goal, their friendly form has been inconsistent, with only two wins in their last seven non-competitive matches which include their latest draw against Uruguay (1-1).
Japan
The “Samurai Blue” are arguably in their best-ever form, having been the first non-host nation to qualify for the 2026 World Cup exactly one year ago.
They are currently on a five-match unbeaten run and have developed a reputation as “giant-killers” after recent strong performances against top European and South American sides. Their most recent outing was a 1-0 win against Scotland away from home.
Predicted lineups
England: Pickford; Livramento, Konsa, Guehi, O’Reilly; Anderson, Garner; Palmer, Rogers, Gordon; Kane
Japan: Suzuki; Taniguchi, Watanabe, Ito; Sugawara, Kaishu Sano, Kamada, Mitoma; Doan, Maeda; Ueda
How to watch England vs Japan?
In the UK, England vs Japan will be shown live on ITV1 and streamed on ITVX.
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