England’s place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be set in stone should they beat Latvia in Riga on Tuesday night.
The Three Lions have qualified for every World Cup since missing out on USA ’94, and that trend looks set to continue with Thomas Tuchel in charge. After producing one of their best performances in years against Serbia in September, Tuchel’s side put Wales to the sword in Thursday’s friendly thanks to three early goals.
England have won all five qualifiers without conceding a goal, including a 3–0 stroll against their upcoming opponents in the reverse fixture back in March. A stunning Reece James free-kick got the ball rolling that night, as Eberechi Eze scored his first international goal.
Latvia are welcoming England to their country for the very first time, and require a miracle if they’re to keep themselves in playoff contention. FIFA’s 137th-ranked nation have amassed just five points from six qualifiers, and are six points adrift of second-place Albania.
Here’s’s guide to the clash.
