England and Uruguay go head-to-head at Wembley on Friday in an international friendly that doubles as a key tune‑up for the 2026 World Cup.
England vs Uruguay – Match preview and team news
- Date: Friday, 27th March.
- Kick-off: 7:45pm BST.
- Venue: Wembley Stadium, London.
England team news
England manager Thomas Tuchel has named a 35-man squad for the March window.
Ben White has returned to the national team set-up for the first time since 2022, with the defender called up to replace injured centre-back Jarell Quansah, who withdrew from the squad earlier in the camp.
Newcastle winger Harvey Barnes has also been drafted in after Eberechi Eze pulled out through injury.
Jude Bellingham is with the squad but will not be risked at Wembley as he continues his recovery from a hamstring problem, with Tuchel stressing that England will “be very, very careful” and avoid any chance of reinjury for the Real Madrid midfielder.
The England head coach has effectively split his group in two, handing a short mid-season break to around 11 players who have had particularly heavy workloads, meaning an experimental XI is expected against Uruguay with opportunities for other players including youngsters to impress.
Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele has been called up primarily as a training option and is not in contention to feature.
Uruguay team news
Uruguay will be without all‑time great forwards Luis Suárez and Edinson Cavani, with Marcelo Bielsa continuing his commitment to a refreshed attacking unit led by current stars such as Federico Valverde and Darwin Núñez, who will be eager to make their mark against England.
Ronald Araújo is included in Bielsa’s 28-man squad after overcoming the physical fatigue that had troubled him earlier in the month, and the Barcelona defender is expected to resume his partnership with experienced centre-back José María Giménez to form a solid core against top-tier opposition.
In goal, veteran stopper Fernando Muslera is among the four goalkeepers called up and is widely anticipated to start at Wembley.
Form
England
England are on a six-match winning streak in all competitions. They were perfect in World Cup qualifying, topping Group K with eight wins from eight, 22 goals scored and none conceded, which has helped establish them among the leading contenders heading into the tournament.
This friendly is the first of two pre-World Cup fixtures at Wembley – Japan follow later in the window – and England will want to maintain momentum while integrating newer faces into the squad.
Uruguay
Uruguay’s recent sequence of friendlies shows two victories, one draw and one defeat, but the 5-1 loss to the United States last time out has provided a stark reminder of the defensive focus required against top-level opposition.
Even so, their competitive record in CONMEBOL qualifying was strong enough to secure fourth place, and Bielsa’s side has already shown they can trouble more favoured teams when their pressing game clicks.
Predicted lineups
England: Pickford; Livramento, Stones, Maguire, Hall; Mainoo, Wharton; Bowen, Foden, Rashford; Solanke
Uruguay: Muslera; Valera, R Araujo, Gimenez, Vina; Valverde, Ugarte; Sanabria, De Arrascaeta, M Araujo; Nunez
How to watch England vs Uruguay?
In the UK, England vs Uruguay will be shown live and free-to-air on ITV1.
Read Also – “It Was Brutal”: Postecoglou recalls Nottingham Forest sack
See More – Maguire insists he has ‘big part’ to play in Man United future
