England Are Looking To Win Their Second World Cup
England | Manager: Thomas Tuchel | Captain: Harry Kane
The countdown is very much on for this summer’s tournament and here at BetVictor News, we deliver the in-depth England World Cup preview, prediction, latest odds, tournament record, star players, best betting angles and more.
- England World Cup prediction: Three Lions endure more final heartbreak
- Bet on the 2026 World Cup with BetVictor
England World Cup Preview
Despite a number of supporters questioning Thomas Tuchel’s 26-man squad, England arrive in North America with fresh hope that they can finally conquer their 60-year wait for world glory. The Three Lions will be led on the pitch by World Cup Top Scorer betting favourite Harry Kane.
The Bayern superstar is widely regarded as the best out-and-out striker in the world and he will be pivotal to their chances. Kane is England’s all-time leading goalscorer and with a number of experienced and up-and-coming stars in the squad, the pressure is on for Tuchel to deliver.
England World Cup Record
England will be navigating their 18th finals this summer and when it comes to World Cup betting, the Three Lions are the current third-favourites to go all the way. The only success came in 1966 and Thomas Tuchel’s side have been regular knock-out stage participants since their first appearance in 1950.
Having missed the first three editions owing to not being FIFA members, the only World Cup finals England did not qualify for came in 1974, 1978 and 1994. Therefore, this summer’s extravaganza will be the Three Lions eighth successive appearance.
England World Cup record summary:
- Total World Cups played: 18 (including 2026)
- Titles: 1966
- Runners‑up: n/a
- Did not participate: 1930, 1934, 1938
- Did not qualify: 1974, 1978, 1994
England World Cup Squad
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City)
Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle United), Marc Guehi (Manchester City), Reece James (Chelsea), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Tino Livramento (Newcastle United), Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham Hotspur), John Stones (Manchester City)
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa)
Forwards: Anthony Gordon (Barcelona), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona, loan from Manchester United), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Ivan Toney (Al-Ahli), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
England Star Players
- Harry Kane
- Jude Bellingham
- Declan Rice
- Elliot Anderson
- Marc Guehi
- Bukayo Saka
Players to watch
- Kobbie Mainoo
- Morgan Rogers
- Nico O’Reilly
England World Cup Fixtures
The World Cup odds strongly imply England will reach the latter stages of the tournament. And with the draw matching the Three Lions against Croatia, Ghana and Panama, progression from Group L should – in theory – be relatively straight forward.
Facing 2018 semi-final opponents Croatia will likely be the toughest match before taking on a tricky Ghana side before finishing up against outsiders Panama. The English actually beat the latter 6-1 in Russia in the 2018 group stages.
In European qualifying, manager Thomas Tuchel recorded a 100% win record and didn’t see his side ship a single goal.
- England vs Croatia on June 17 at the AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
- England vs Ghana on June 23 at the Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts,
- Panama vs England on June 27 at the MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
England World Cup Odds
England are the current 6/1 third-favourites in BetVictor’s World Cup winner odds market. Long-suffering supporters will be optimistic the Three Lions can go all the way this summer and after 60 years of hurt, finally bring football home.
- World Cup winner odds: 6/1
- World Cup runners-up odds: 3/1
- World Cup semi-finalists odds : 6/4
- World Cup quarter-finalists odds: 4/5
Our England Team Markets allow customers to bet on the Three Lions tournament top scorer. Harry Kane is the current favourite followed by Bukayo Saka and Jude Bellingham.
England World Cup Prediction
Unlike our Argentina World Cup preview and Brazil World Cup preview – whereby we are predicting both South American giants to crash out in the quarters – we believe England will go all the way to the final.
However, with France or Spain the most likely opponents, we feel either global powerhouse will have just about enough to beat the Three Lions. In fact, Les Bleus knocked England out of the last World Cup at the quarter-final stage whereas La Roja got the better of what was Gareth Southgate’s charges in the Euro 2024 final.
England World Cup prediction: Runners-up (3/1)
England 2026 World Cup FAQs
When Did England Last Win The World Cup?
The last time England won the World Cup was in 1966. The Three Lions beat West Germany 4-2 (AET) at the old Wembley Stadium with Geoff Hurst helping himself to a hat-trick. It is the only time the English have been crowned world champions.
Who Is The England Manager?
The manager of the Men’s England international football team is Thomas Tuchel. The former Chelsea boss is just the third foreign gaffer the Three Lions have employed after Sven Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello. He has been in charge since New Year’s Day 2025.
What Teams Will England Face In North America?
England have been drawn in Group L of the 2026 World Cup alongside Croatia, Ghana and Panama. The Three Lions are yet to meet the Ghanaians in the finals but played both Croatia and Panama in the 2018 edition in Russia.
Are England Favourites For The 2026 World Cup?
England are among the favourites to win the 2026 World Cup alongside France, Spain, Argentina and Brazil with Portugal and Germany also in the reckoning.
If you intend to bet on the 2026 World Cup, then please take the time to read through BetVictor’s safe and responsible gambling page which will provide good advice on how to stay in control when betting on football.
Any betting decisions should be made responsibly and there are no guarantees when it comes to match outcomes. Odds correct as of 12:30pm, June 2 2026 and are subject to change.
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