ENGLAND SUFFER FIVE WITHDRAWALS BEFORE NATIONS LEAGUE OPENER AGAINST SPAIN

England have been hit by five player withdrawals ahead of their opening UEFA Nations League fixture against Spain at Wembley on Saturday, September 26. Declan Rice, Cole Palmer, Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo and Tino Livramento have all pulled out of Thomas Tuchel’s squad because of injury issues, forcing the England manager to make changes to his plans for the upcoming international fixtures.

Rice, who plays for Arsenal, was included in England’s 27-man squad after featuring for the Three Lions at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. His absence removes an experienced midfield option from Tuchel’s plans. Chelsea forward Palmer has also been ruled out shortly after earning a recall to the national team following his omission from England’s World Cup squad. Palmer had been expected to use the Nations League fixtures as an opportunity to re-establish himself under Tuchel before his latest injury setback.

Manchester United midfielder Mainoo and forward Rashford are also unavailable for the international window. Both players were selected by Tuchel but have withdrawn because of injury concerns. Newcastle United defender Livramento completes the list of five absentees and has also had injury problems, having previously missed part of England’s World Cup campaign after suffering a calf injury.

Tuchel has responded by bringing Everton midfielder James Garner and Nottingham Forest attacking midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White into the squad. Garner has two senior England caps, while Gibbs-White has made six appearances for the national team. Their inclusion gives Tuchel additional midfield and attacking options as he prepares for a demanding sequence of Nations League fixtures.

England will begin their Group A3 campaign against Spain at Wembley on Saturday before travelling to Prague to face Czechia on September 29. They will then play Croatia in Rijeka on October 3 before returning to Wembley for another meeting with Czechia on October 6. The fixtures form part of a new extended international window under FIFA’s revised calendar, with England entering the campaign against the reigning world champions.