England secured their qualification for the 2026 World Cup with a dominating 5-0 victory over Latvia and two matches remaining in qualifying.
Anthony Gordon lit up the first half with pace and power on the left wing, challenging defenders and putting in crosses but it was a right-footed strike from the Newcastle winger which proved decisive.
Gordon’s goal broke the deadlock in Riga before Harry Kane, restored to the lineup after sitting out the Wales friendly, added two more before the break. The first was a deft left-footed strike from the edge of the box and the second a pinpoint penalty.
England weren’t done though. They increased their lead to four thanks to a fortuitous own goal before Eberechi Eze, one of a host of second half substitutes, emulated Gordon by cutting in from the left to bag the fifth.
The England fans responded to Thomas Tuchel’s call to make more noise, and England rewarded them with a flurry of goals on the pitch.
Next stop, the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Relive the action with our live blog below:
Latvia vs England live
- England qualify for World Cup 2026 with win over Latvia
- 86' GOAL! Eze comes off bench to add fifth goal (LVA 0-5 ENG)
- 58’ GOAL! Tonisevs’ own goal makes matter worse for Latvia (LVA 0-4 ENG)
- 45+4' GOAL! Kane converts from penalty spot (LVA 0-3 ENG)
- 44' GOAL! Kane drills low effort into the bottom corner (LVA 0-2 ENG)
- 26' GOAL! Gordon opens scoring with fine finish (LVA 0-1 ENG)
- 1' DISALLOWED! Kane scores but the goal is chalked off (LVA 0-0 ENG)
England have qualified for the World Cup but unanswered questions raise doubts over their development
22:25 , Miguel DelaneySo, England become the first European side to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, but the real wonder is whether that actually says anything more about their capability of finishing first next summer.
Thomas Tuchel of course acknowledged that this was the expectation, but said it shouldn’t be completely taken for granted that it is a landmark achievement, even if this 5-0 in front of some trees in Riga wasn’t exactly Stockholm 1989 or Rome 1997. No bloodied bandages were required, as were seen with Terry Butcher and Paul Ince in those games.
It instead couldn’t have been easier, as this thrashing of Latvia made it six wins from six with 18 goals and none conceded. Almost perfect.
Unanswered questions raise doubts over England’s development
England celebrate with the fans
21:47 , Mike JonesThe 2,500 or so travelling fans are cheering and chanting in the stands after England booked their spot in the World Cup.
The players come over to the stands and celebrate with them.
FT Latvia 0-5 England
21:42 , Mike JonesEngland have won Group K.
They have 18 points from their six qualifying matches with a perfect record of six wins from six.
The Three Lions haven’t even conceded a goal in qualifying yet.
Two matches remain, one against Serbia and one against Albania.
England qualify for World Cup 2026 with win over Latvia
21:40 , Mike JonesEngland are the first European nation to confirm their place at the 2026 World Cup following a 5-0 victory over Latvia on Tuesday evening.
The Three Lions claimed victory and a crucial three points in Riga courtesy of goals from Anthony Gordon, Harry Kane and Eberechi Eze which saw Thomas Tuchel’s side take an unassailable lead in Uefa qualifying Group K.
Tuchel has now overseen seven wins from his eight matches in charge with his England team yet to concede a goal in competitive fixtures.
Full-time! Latvia 0-5 England
21:40 , Mike Jones90 mins: There goes the whistle.
England came and conquered and booked their place in the World Cup next summer.
A superb performance.
GOAL! Latvia 0-5 England (Eberechi Eze, 86')
21:30 , Mike JonesBoom!
Bowen wins the ball back on the halfway line and drives forward before feeding a pass out to Eberechi Eze on the left.
Like Gordon did earlier, he cuts inside before drilling his effort into the bottom corner.
Latvia 0-4 England
21:26 , Mike Jones81 mins: More control and composure for England.
A slick pass down the left wing is chased down by Rashford who pulls a pass back into the middle and wins a corner.
Latvia 0-4 England
21:23 , Mike Jones78 mins: Time is ticking away from England but the travelling fans are still in full voice.
They seemed to have taken Thomas Tuchel’s criticism of the Wembley atmosphere last week to heart and haven’t stopped chanting all evening.
Latvia 0-4 England
21:19 , Mike Jones75 mins: 15 minutes to play in Riga.
Rashford flicks the ball into the box and there’s an appeal for handball which the referee isn’t interested in.
Latvia 0-4 England
21:15 , Mike Jones72 mins: Anthony Gordon has had a fine evening. He was the best playing int the first half and opened the scoring.
His day is done now though as Marcus Rashford comes on to replace him.
In defence, Dan Burn is on for John Stones.
Latvia 0-4 England
21:13 , Mike Jones69 mins: Once or twice now Latvia have had chances to get themselves a goal.
When they have willing runners there is space in behind England’s line and a well struck hit from Tonisevs almost finds the far bottom corner.
Latvia 0-4 England
21:11 , Mike Jones66 mins: Eze takes a snapshot from the edge of the area and forces a strong save out of Zviedris.
The goalkeeper diving low to his right to palm the ball away from goal.
Latvia 0-4 England
21:06 , Mike Jones63 mins: The England subs have around 30 minutes to impress and stake a claim to be included in the next camp.
The game has been broken open and scoring more goals is the way to get into the manager’s thoughts and plans.
Latvia 0-4 England
21:05 , Mike Jones60 mins: England now take the opportunity to make some changes.
Jordan Henderson, Eberechi Eze and Jarrod Bowen are introduced with Morgan Rogers, Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka replaced.
GOAL! Latvia 0-4 England (Maksims Tonisevs OG, 58')
21:04 , Mike JonesAnother one for England!
This one is fortunate. Saka brings the ball forward and lays it off to Spence.
He whips in a cross which the goalkeeper flaps towards the back post.
Latvia substitute, Maksims Tonisevs, doesn’t see it quickly enough and the ball deflects off his standing leg and into the goal.
Latvia 0-3 England
20:59 , Mike Jones54 mins: Wonderful from Ezri Konsa.
Latvia manage to get in behind England’s high defensive line as Konsa is caught out of position.
Gutkovskis sweeps in behind and carries the ball into the box.
He looks to unload but Konsa’s recovery run is superb and he times his lunging tackle to perfection and knocks the ball away from the striker.
Latvia 0-3 England
20:55 , Mike Jones51 mins: Rice lofts a cross into the box but Krisjanis Zviedris comes off his line to flap the ball away.
Gordon collects the loose ball but is forced to retreat as Latvia push out from their own penalty area.
Latvia 0-3 England
20:53 , Mike Jones48 mins: England have picked up where they left off in the first half.
Maintaining possession and winning the ball back quickly when they lose it.
Second half! Latvia 0-3 England
20:49 , Mike JonesThe rain is coming down now.
No changes at the break from England which shows how much Tuchel wants his players to push on.
HT Latvia 0-3 England
20:43 , Mike JonesThomas Tuchel wants more ruthlessness from England and the second half will prove how clinical they are.
England failed to extend their lead over Wales last week but they will be confident about putting more goals past Latvia tonight.
HT Latvia 0-3 England
20:39 , Mike JonesAnthony Gordon and Harry Kane are on the scoresheet. How many more will England add?
Half-time! Latvia 0-3 England
20:35 , Mike Jones45+4 mins: Three goals to the good and one step closer to the World Cup.
England are 45 minutes away from next summer’s tournament.
GOAL! Latvia 0-3 England (Harry Kane, 45+4')
20:34 , Mike JonesKane converts from the spot!
England lead by three.
Penalty to England!
20:33 , Mike JonesLatvia 0-2 England
45 mins: Right on the stroke of half-time, England are awarded a penalty after Kane is dragged down in the box.
Can England add to their tally?
GOAL! Latvia 0-2 England (Harry Kane, 44')
20:30 , Mike JonesEngland’s high press sees them win the ball back inside the final third.
It bobbles over to Harry Kane who works it across to his left foot and drills a shot from the edge of the area into the back bottom corner!
Latvia 0-1 England
20:28 , Mike Jones41 mins: Rice swings a cross in from the right side of the pitch but once again Latvia manage to beat Kane to the aerial ball.
England have been very willing to cross into the box but they need a bit more accuracy.
Latvia 0-1 England
20:24 , Mike Jones38 mins: Anderson picks out Gordon on the left once more and the winger nips into the box.
He pokes a shot at goal but the ball heads wide.
Gordon thinks there’s a deflection but the referee disagrees and Latvia have a goal kick.
Latvia 0-1 England
20:21 , Mike Jones35 mins: An England corner is curled into the box by Declan Rice.
Veips gets his head to the ball first and nods it away.
England look to spread the ball over to the right but Vladislavs Gutkovskis charges the ball down and might have injured himself in the process.
Latvia 0-1 England
20:18 , Mike Jones32 mins: Latvia have responded well to going behind.
They are being more offensive and have transitioned the majority of the play from their own final third to the middle of the pitch.
England need to stay switched on.
Latvia 0-1 England
20:17 , Mike Jones29 mins: England can relax now. Latvia will need to open up more to get back in the game which will leave space and provide opportunities to add more goals.
Andrejs Ciganiks looks to get his team into the final third and clatters into Djed Spence which results in an England free kick.
GOAL! Latvia 0-1 England (Anthony Gordon, 26')
20:12 , Mike JonesThere it is!
A rare foray up the pitch from Latvia leaves space in behind their defensive line.
John Stones lofts is down the left wing where Anthony Gordon collects the ball and drives forward.
He cuts inside, runs to the edge of the box then curls a low effort into the far bottom corner!
Latvia 0-0 England
20:09 , Mike Jones24 mins: Declan Rice’s corner ball is glanced out of the box but England recover possession.
They send it wide to Rogers on the right who darts a pass in towards the near post.
Gordon makes a run to try and reach it but is beaten by the nearest defender who scoops it clear.
Latvia 0-0 England
20:07 , Mike Jones22 mins: Spence whips a cross into the middle with Kane as the target.
Raivis Jurkovskis nods it behind for a corner.
Latvia 0-0 England
20:06 , Mike Jones21 mins: Gordon dances his way into the penalty area and skips over a lunging tackle.
His jump means the ball runs away from him and goes out of play before he can pull it back into the middle.
Latvia 0-0 England
20:04 , Mike Jones19 mins: England are looking a little frustrated already.
They play against these low blocks all the time but haven’t really looked comfortable against them until they break the deadlock.
Latvia 0-0 England
20:02 , Mike Jones16 mins: Djed Spence has made a few overlapping runs for Bukayo Saka on the right wing.
He tries another one but gets tackled and loses possession.
Latvia can’t do much with the ball before they lose control of it and England sweep forward again.
Latvia 0-0 England
19:58 , Mike Jones13 mins: England are testing Latvia with crosses into the middle.
Saka looks for Kane but a defensive header forces him wide. He slots it across to Anderson who shoots from range but curls the effort wide of the right hand post.
Latvia 0-0 England
19:55 , Mike Jones10 mins: Gordon is fouled by Robert Veips and England take the free kick quickly.
Gordon makes a run down the left and receives the ball. He floats it across the box but can’t find a teammates and Latvia scramble it clear.
Latvia 0-0 England
19:53 , Mike Jones8 mins: Morgan Rogers attempts to dance in between a couple of defensive midfielders but loses the ball.
Anderson wins it back quickly and England work it over to the left.
Anthony Gordon drives forward then passes it across to Kane whose volley is guided wide!
Latvia 0-0 England
19:51 , Mike Jones5 mins: It’s been a bright start from England. Plenty of pace in their passes and their pressing is sharp and high up the pitch.
They’re trying to impose themselves on the hosts and it’s been pretty successful so far.
Latvia 0-0 England
19:48 , Mike Jones1 mins: Goal!
Actually, no. England have the ball in the back of the net after Elliot Anderson chips a pass over to Bukayo Saka.
Saka squares it across to Harry Kane who pokes it home only for the offside flag to go up.
Kick off! Latvia 0-0 England
19:46 , Mike JonesEngland get the ball rolling in Riga. This is the Three Lions’ first ever match in Latvia.
They boot it long and win the aerial ball. Latvia have set up in a low block and England need to work hard to break them down.
Pre-match thoughts from Thomas Tuchel
19:40 , Mike JonesEngland boss Thomas Tuchel told ITV: "Good pitch, good lights and we have a task that we want to fulfil. Everything is ready and the pitch looks fast and it is perfect weather to play football.
"Marc [Guehi] gets a rest because he is the one who has played the most minutes in our squad and we want to attack with both full-backs.
"I think it would fit [the formation], but the others trained well and pushed the 11. We have some good options to finish from the bench and we will use them. Like, Marcus Rashford.
"We want push it over the line, it is the moment and the opportunity. We are here to win, but first of all we are here to perform. Nothing is guaranteed, but we want to do it today."
Latvia vs England
19:37 , Mike Jones10 minutes to go until kick off.
England’s team is very strong with just two changes from the side who beat Wales.
Thomas Tuchel is trying to give players as much time as possible to form relationships and link up.
Latvia are set up defensively so it’ll be another challenge for England to break them down tonight.
Will England miss Watkins?
19:31 , Mike JonesOllie Watkins has scored in four of his seven starts for England, scoring four goals.
Overall he has six goals for the Three Lions, with Billy Walker (9) and David Platt (7) the only two Aston Villa players to score more goals for England than Watkins.
However, injury keeps him out of tonight’s match with Harry Kane returning to the team.
Can Pickford catch Shilton?
19:25 , Mike JonesJordan Pickford is the first ever England goalkeeper to go eight consecutive games without conceding a goal for the Three Lions.
His clean sheet against Wales was his 40th for England, with only Peter Shilton keeping more (58).
A strong defence
19:20 , Mike JonesPrior to this current international break, 24 of the 54 nations competing in Uefa World Cup 2026 qualification had only played two games compared to England’s five.
Despite that the Three Lions had faced fewer shots on target than any other nation (1), going 316 minutes since last facing one vs Latvia.
Latvian struggles
19:15 , Mike JonesLatvia have lost their last 14 matches against sides in top-10 of the Fifa World Rankings by an aggregate score of 41-1.
They last avoided defeat in a 0-0 draw at Euro 2004 against Germany.
England improving under Tuchel
19:10 , Mike JonesUnder Thomas Tuchel, England are averaging 643 successful passes per game, 17 shots per game and 42 touches in the opposition box per game.
All higher totals than their averages under Sir Gareth Southgate (526 successful passes, 13 shots and 28 touches in the opposition box).
Clean sheets aplenty
19:05 , Mike JonesEngland have kept eight clean sheets in their last nine matches, their only blemish in this run a 3-1 friendly defeat against Senegal in June.
The Three Lions are still yet to concede a competitive goal in five matches under Thomas Tuchel.
Good signs for England
19:00 , Mike JonesLatvia will be the 72nd nation England have played an away match against.
They’ve won their last three first time away games against a nation.
Those were: 3-2 vs Slovenia in 2015, 3-0 vs Lithuania in 2015 and 4-0 vs Kosovo in 2019.
Latvia XI to face England
18:59 , Mike JonesLatvia XI: Zviedris; Vapne, Jurkovskis, Cernomordijs, Balodis, Ciganiks; Varslavans, Veips, Zelenkovs; Gutkovskis, Ikaunieks
Latvia vs England
18:55 , Mike JonesThis will be the second meeting between Latvia and England, with the first coming in March this year when the Three Lions won 3-0 at Wembley with goals from Reece James, Harry Kane and Eberechi Eze.
England's team changes
18:51 , Mike JonesThomas Tuchel keeps things simple again and makes only a few minor adjustments to his starting XI for this match against Latvia.
Ollie Watkins has returned to Aston Villa meaning the captain, Harry Kane, returns to the starting lineup.
Marc Guehi sits this one out with Myles Lewis-Skelly slotting in at left-back. That means Ezri Konsa moves to centre-back and Djed Spence will likely shift over to right-back.
The midfield remains the same with Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson anchoring behind the trio of Bukayo Saka, Morgan Rogers and Anthony Gordon.
England XI to face Latvia
18:46 , Mike JonesEngland XI: Pickford; Spence, Konsa, Stones, Lewis-Skelly; Rice, Anderson; Saka, Rogers, Gordon; Kane
Your #ThreeLions for tonight's @FIFAWorldCup qualifier in Latvia 🦁 pic.twitter.com/sJNISJhhAf
— England (@England) October 14, 2025
First time in Riga
18:32 , Mike JonesTuchel’s side should not be too troubled against a side currently ranked 137th in the world, even if they are stepping into the unknown with a first ever visit to Riga.
The return fixture in March, which England won 3-0 in Tuchel’s second match in charge, is the only previous meeting between the two sides.
Latvia can no longer qualify for the World Cup, currently sitting fourth in the group with five points.
They drew 2-2 with Andorra on Friday, having also beaten the minnows in their reverse fixture while drawing with Albania.
The audition continues
18:26 , Mike JonesThomas Tuchel raised eyebrows by leaving out Jude Bellingham, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Phil Foden and Jack Grealish this month in order to reward the players who performed so well in September’s camp.
Some of them, such as Morgan Rogers, Elliot Anderson and Anthony Gordon, further strengthened their position in the side against Wales and should get another opportunity to shine in Latvia.
Tuchel named a strong squad against Wales, knowing there was a long enough turnaround before the trip to Latvia, and will again go strong tonight.
How many European teams will qualify for the World Cup?
18:20 , Mike JonesA total of 16 European teams will qualify for the expanded tournament next year. The 2026 World Cup will feature 48 nations and will be held across Canada, Mexico and the United States.
The 12 qualifying group winners will automatically secure places at the tournament, with the remaining four spots being won through a play-off competition featuring the 12 second-place teams.
As of yet, no European nation has secured qualification, but England can be the first team to do so.
How can England qualify for the World Cup tonight?
18:14 , Mike JonesEngland currently sit at the top of Group K with 15 points, having won all five of their qualifying matches so far. That is a perfect record, bettered only by Norway in Group I, who have won all six of their games. Albania sit second in the table with 11 points, but have played one game more than the Three Lions, while Serbia, currently third, are eight points behind them with 7.
Victory over Latvia this evening would give England another three points and take them to 18, with two matches left to play. That would mean Albania would be unable to catch up – as the maximum number of points they can win is 17 – and England would secure their place at the top of the group. They would then qualify for the World Cup as group winners.
Pickford on staying focused during quiet spells
18:08 , Mike JonesJordan Pickford made two crucial saves against Wales after long periods of the game when he was not involved in play.
“Every goalkeeper is different,” he explained.
“I’m quite vocal and communicate with my team. I feel like that keeps me in the game.
“Even if the ball is at the other end of the pitch, I’ll be moving about, keeping in the right line and just being switched on constantly.
“It’s something you get used to and something I’ve improved on over the years, just being in the right position at the right time and keeping communicating with the back four in front of me.
“That keeps me in sync with the game and when called upon, I should be there and ready to make an action.”
Pickford on breaking Banks' record
18:02 , Mike JonesJordan Pickford broke a record held by Gordon Banks when he kept an eighth clean sheet in a row in the 3-0 win over Wales.
Of the achievement England’s No.1 said: “I think it’s good when you break them but I think everyone knows what I’m like – a team player and I’ll take credit sometimes but I think it’s a collective sport. We win together, we defend and we attack together.
“Like Harry [Kane] says, the defence starts from up top really. It’s all eleven of us putting a shift in and when I’m called upon, I’ll make the saves. It’s great to have that milestone and hopefully break it again and get nine.”
Thomas Tuchel warns Marcus Rashford not to be ‘disappointed’ at the end of his career
17:56 , Miguel DelaneyThomas Tuchel has warned Marcus Rashford that “he can be one of the best in the world” but that he still has to take “the right decisions” or “he will be disappointed in 10 years”.
The England manager even admitted that he recalled the 27-year-old for his first squad in March because he felt “it would help him if he felt my support”.
Tuchel, meanwhile, left the door open for the dropped Jude Bellingham by saying he would likely be in his leadership group if recalled.
Thomas Tuchel warns Marcus Rashford not to be ‘disappointed’ at the end of his career
Pickford on impact of Anderson and Rogers
17:50 , Mike JonesJordan Pickford says Elliot and Anderson and Morgan Rogers have been ‘terrific’ since coming into the England fold.
“Elliot has been terrific and Morgan as well. I think Elliot in the last two games, just getting on the ball, half-turn, but the defensive side of it as well which not many people will see,” Pickford explained.
“For the back four with him in front of you, he’s always getting back and screening the centre forward like we did against Kieffer Moore the other – a big target – and he’s always there for second balls and breaks up the play well.
“Morgan, as well, you’ve seen it in the Serbia game and getting his first goal against Wales the other night is massive moment for him and hopefully see many more.
“Us as a group, it’s a great group to be around because you get welcomed straight away and you feel at home and not out of place and you let the football do the talking because we’ve got that good environment.”
Pickford on previous Latvia result
17:44 , Mike JonesJordan Pickford sat down with the media ahead of tonight’s match and was asked about England’s previous win over Latvia.
He said: “It was a good game. Reece [James] came up with a great free kick and apart from that, we had a lot of the ball but we still had to be wary of the threat from Latvia.
“It was tight and hopefully for us, England will get on the front foot and get right after them.”
England will respect Latvia says Tuchel
17:38 , Mike JonesDespite winning the reverse fixture 3-0, England will respect Latvia tonight and know they will be tough opponents.
“The focus is on building a strong team, starting a strong team, starting a team that is used to playing with each other, to not give any wrong signals because it’s a given to respect your opponent,” said the England boss.
“We need a strong team and a strong performance to win an away game in a World Cup qualifier.”
How England can qualify for the World Cup tonight
17:32 , Mike JonesEngland can become the first European nation to qualify for the World Cup 2026 when they take on Latvia tonight. The Three Lions have undergone an impeccable campaign so far, winning all five of their qualifying games, and a sixth win would mean they secure top spot in Group K.
Since Thomas Tuchel took over as England manager at the start of 2025, England have won six of their seven matches under the German, with their only blip being a 3-1 defeat to Senegal in a friendly back in June.
Who will start for England?
17:26 , Mike Jones“I have not decided yet but everyone – all of the players – deserves [it],” replied Tuchel when asked who will be in tonight’s starting XI.
“We had enough time to recover after the match against Wales, so we had two full training sessions.
“The spirit and the momentum is clearly there. The players are fully focused. They trained with an awareness, they trained with joy, they trained with a lot of quality – you can sense it.”
England's shift in performance level
17:20 , Mike JonesThomas Tuchel says his team have made good strides in terms of their performances and that they are heading in the right direction.
“I saw it even against Andorra at home even if we couldn’t prove it in terms of the result and maybe people outside expected more than just the 2-0 and underestimated the defence performance from Andorra a little bit,” he revealed.
“I saw it even in this game – the commitment especially in the defensive work, the commitment in the high press.
“There was a significant shift in our attitude, in the way we played. We had, of course, two very good two results, good performances lately against Serbia and against Wales.
“We want to take the next step. I feel this, I feel that we’re building something and going in the right direction.”
Rice and Anderson have 'strong relationship'
17:14 , Mike JonesDeclan Rice and Elliot Anderson have built up a ‘strong relationship’ in the middle of England’s midfield with many viewing the pair as the starters for the World Cup.
On Anderson’s performances in an England shirt, Rice said: “He has taken it in his stride and he is playing exactly how he does for his club.
“We have built up a really strong relationship in midfield. We have a close relationship there. We are playing closer together, he is letting me go forward a little bit more. We are building a nice little partnership.
“Obviously the World Cup is in the summer, still a long way to go, but the more we can play, keep building momentum, it will be really important.”
Anderson motivated by strong England start
17:08 , Mike JonesElliot Anderson has made a fine start to his England career with three strong outings for the national team.
The aim is to make it into England’s World Cup squad but the midfielder wants to keep pushing in the face of tough competition.
“I have got to keep going,” he said. “It is only three games, so I have got to do a lot more than that.
“I am just focusing on what I can bring to the team and (will be) just trying to help the team out really.
“The team spirit has been very important. It’s a top team and top lads, as well.
“They have really helped me and I have felt at home ever since the first day I came in. It helps a lot to bring the good out in players.”
Elliot Anderson vows to ‘keep going’ and be a part of the World Cup with England
17:02 , Mike JonesElliot Anderson has rubbished the suggestion he has nailed down his place in England’s midfield for next summer’s World Cup.
The Nottingham Forest midfielder has enjoyed a stellar start to his senior international career, having been in Thomas Tuchel’s starting XI for the last three games.
The latest of those came in Thursday’s 3-0 friendly win over Wales, where he put in another accomplished display on his Wembley bow.
Elliot Anderson vows to ‘keep going’ and be a part of the World Cup with England
England are heading in the right direction
16:56 , Mike JonesThomas Tuchel believes his England team is making progress and is heading in the right direction.
Here’s what he had to say ahead of tonight’s clash with Latvia:
Step by step 🧱 pic.twitter.com/DjcPNOvHCe
— England (@England) October 14, 2025
Watkins leaves England camp
16:49 , Mike JonesOllie Watkins collided with the post in the first half of England’s win over Wales and was subbed off at the break.
He won’t feature tonight having returned to Aston Villa.
“Ollie left camp unfortunately,” explained Tuchel.
“It was too painful and he could not train with us, so he’s in treatment with his club and tries to get ready for the weekend.
“That’s basically it. Everyone else is with us and available.”
Tuchel on Kane's fitness
16:42 , Mike JonesHarry Kane missed the Wales match with an ankle issue but will he feature tonight?
“Very easy with Harry – he can play, he’s fit,” confirmed Thomas Tuchel.
“We did the right thing. He’s top in training and ready to go. I don’t see why he should not be able to play 90 minutes.
“The pause was just a short pause for him. He played all matches before for Bayern Munich, so I don’t see any obstacles there.”
Thomas Tuchel’s ‘silent Wembley’ criticism brings unwanted distraction after England’s progress
16:35 , Jack RathbornSeveral paper airplanes took a sharp flight down towards the dugouts at Wembley Stadium as England drifted a little during the second half of their 3-0 thrashing of Wales.
It was perhaps at this moment, with some fans distracted in a game long since settled, that Thomas Tuchel became irritated by a lack of energy from supporters.
The German had emphasised how it was “silent” despite their breathtaking display. He had seen Morgan Rogers dazzle, Ollie Watkins strike in relief of the injured Harry Kane and Bukayo Saka deliver a rasping strike into the top corner of the net to turn cheers into gasps of admiration.
Tuchel’s Wembley criticism brings unwanted distraction from England’s progress
Thomas Tuchel says that he is convinced England captain Harry Kane will be fit to feature tonight after the striker missed the Wales friendly due to an ankle injury.
Jarell Quansah has withdrawn from the squad with an unspecified injury meaning there will likely be no changes to the back line. Ollie Watkins, meanwhile, has pulled out of the game due to an injury picked up when he collided with the post during the win over Wales. The Aston Villa striker has returned to the Premier League side and misses the trip to Riga.
Predicted England XI: England XI: Pickford; Konsa, Stones, Guehi Spence; Rice, Anderson, Rogers; Saka, Kane, Gordon
Latvia early team news
16:21 , Mike JonesLatvia’s squad is fit and firing following their 2-2 draw with Andorra yet that means Roberts Uldrikis and Kristers Tobers are still missing due to injury.
Predicted Latvia XI: Zviedris; Savalnieks, Jurkovskis, Cernmordijs, Balodis, Ciganiks; Varslavans, Saveljevs, Zelenkovs; Gutkovskis, Sits
How can I watch it?
16:14 , Mike JonesViewers in the UK will be available to watch the game live on ITV1, with coverage of the match on ITV due to begin at 7pm BST.
Fans can also stream the game on ITVX.
When is Latvia vs England?
16:07 , Mike JonesEngland’s World Cup qualifier with Latvia kicks off at 7:45pm BST on Tuesday 14 October at Daugava Stadium in Riga.
Latvia vs England
16:00 , Mike JonesEngland are back in action this evening as they take on Latvia in a World Cup 2026 qualifier that could see them book their spot at the tournament next summer.
Thomas Tuchel’s side have won all five of their qualifying fixtures so far and another victory tonight would be enough for them to secure first place in Group K.
The Three Lions come into the match on the back of a 3-0 victory over Wales last Thursday and they are building consistency and momentum under the German boss.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek made his return to the international fold as a second half substitute and will hope to push for a starting place tonight while Harry Kane sat out the game through injury but is hopeful of being fit in time for kick off today.
Good afternoon!
15:22 , Mike JonesWelcome to The Independent’s coverage of tonight’s World Cup qualifying action.
Latvia host England in Group K in what looks set to be a fine encounter for the Three Lions.
They can secure their spot at the World Cup with a win and still have two matches remaining to allow Thomas Tuchel to test out new players and formations.
We’ll have all the team news, line-ups and updates throughout the evening. Stick with us as we build up to kick off at 7.45pm.
