Thomas Tuchel will take charge of England for the very first time on Friday night when the Three Lions begin their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign against Albania at Wembley Stadium.
England's last game came back in November when a comprehensive 5-0 win over Ireland secured their promotion back to League A in the UEFA Nations League, but their attention now turns to next year's World Cup set to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The Three Lions currently hold the longest ongoing unbeaten streak in World Cup qualifying among European teams (31 matches) and will be looking to extend that run and set the pace in Group K which features Serbia, Latvia, Andorra and Friday's opponents, Albania.
Whilst England are coming off the back of a successful Nations League campaign, the same cannot be said about Albania, who were relegated to League C after a 2-1 defeat to Ukraine in their final match.
The Kuqezinjtë have only won two of their last 11 games in all competitions, but they will be hoping for a fresh start with a brand-new qualifying campaign set to get underway, with their ultimate goal being to reach their first-ever World Cup finals.
England have won all of their previous six meetings with Albania and will be heavy favourites to take all three points at Wembley Stadium on Friday night, as Albania go in search of their first-ever competitive win over a top-10 ranked team in the FIFA World Rankings.
Team News
England
Several of Tuchel’s selections for his first England squad were met with question marks, particularly regarding the inclusion of Ajax midfielder Jordan Henderson, who rejoins the international team after a 16-month hiatus.
Cole Palmer had initially been included in Tuchel's squad, but has since returned to Chelsea to undergo further assessments on an injury he sustained during the Blues' defeat to Arsenal on Sunday. As a result, Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White has been called up as a replacement.
It is yet to be known how Tuchel will set up against Albania, but he has confirmed that Harry Kane will retain the captaincy, meaning England's all-time leading goalscorer is set to captain his country for the 75th time on Friday night.
Albania
Sylvinho also faces some injury issues as he will be without the services of Elseid Hysaj of Lazio as well as Mario Mitaj of Al-Ittihad for the trip to London.
However, some good news for Albania fans is that both Armando Broja and Rey Manaj have returned to the squad having previously been unavailable for Albania's final two Nations League matches in November.
Both will be in contention to start against England on Friday night, and will be hoping to cause problems for what will be a relatively inexperienced England back-line missing the likes of John Stones, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Harry Maguire.
Likely Lineups
England
Pickford; Walker, Guehi, Colwill, Burn; Henderson, Rice; Foden, Bellingham, Rashford; Kane
Albania
Strakosha; Balliu, Ismajli, Djimsiti, Aliji; Asllani, Ramadani; Asani, Bajrami, Muci; Manaj
Key Players
England - Jude Bellingham
In a star-studded England side, no name stands out more than Jude Bellingham, who has established himself as one of the best players in world football at just 21 years of age.
He has scored 11 goals and provided 11 assists in all competitions for Real Madrid this season, and has been instrumental in their success with Los Blancos currently level on points with Barcelona at the top of La Liga, in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League and the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey.
His form for England in recent times has been equally as impressive, proving to be an integral part of the team's run to the final of Euro 2024 as well as their promotion from League B in the Nations League.
Friday will provide Bellingham with his first opportunity to showcase his unique skillset in front of his new manager, as well as the chance to increase his international goal tally, which currently stands at six.
Albania - Berat Gjimshiti
Given England’s formidable attacking capabilities, it will be paramount for Albania to maintain a robust defensive line if they are to get anything from the match, a defensive line led by captain Berat Gjimshiti.
Currently playing his club football in Italy, Gjimshiti is an integral part of an Atalanta side who are currently third in Serie A and boast the third-best defensive record in the league this season.
He missed the whole of Albania's disappointing Nations League campaign, but has since worked his way back to full fitness and will be a welcomed addition to Sylvinho's squad.
Match Details
Where is the game being played?
The match will be played at Wembley Stadium in London, England.
What time is kick-off?
The match will kick-off at 19:45 BST on Friday, March 21, 2025.
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the United Kingdom will be able to watch the match on the ITV 1 channel. with live coverage getting underway at 19:00 BST.
