England and Argentina Finalize Preparations for World Cup Semi-final
England and Argentina are putting the finishing touches on their preparations ahead of Wednesday’s blockbuster FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final in Atlanta.
With a place in the World Cup Final on the line, both managers will be hoping to have their strongest possible squads available. England continue to monitor a couple of fitness concerns, while defending champions Argentina arrive with a fully fit squad.
Here’s the latest team news ahead of one of the tournament’s biggest matches.
Match Details
| Competition | FIFA World Cup 2026 |
|---|---|
| Match | England vs Argentina |
| Stage | Semi-final |
| Venue | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta |
| Date | July 16, 2026 |
England Team News
England have received encouraging news ahead of the semi-final, although Thomas Tuchel still has a few selection decisions to make.
Defender Jarell Quansah remains unavailable after serving a suspension following his red card earlier in the knockout stage.
Midfielder Jordan Henderson continues to recover from the wrist injury that required surgery and remains unavailable.
Meanwhile, Declan Rice is expected to be fit despite dealing with illness and minor nerve discomfort after being substituted at halftime against Norway.
Should Rice be available, he is expected to return directly to the starting lineup alongside Elliot Anderson.
England Availability
Unavailable
- ❌ Jarell Quansah (Suspended)
Doubtful
- ⚠️ Jordan Henderson (Wrist Injury)
- ⚠️ Declan Rice (Illness / Neural Pain)
Argentina Team News
Argentina head into the semi-final with no fresh injury concerns.
Lionel Scaloni has a fully available squad following the dramatic victory over Switzerland, giving him the luxury of selecting from his strongest players.
Lionel Messi is expected to captain the side once again, while Julián Álvarez appears set to retain his place after scoring the decisive extra-time winner in the quarter-final.
The defending champions are unlikely to make significant changes from the side that reached the last four.
Argentina Availability
Unavailable
- ✅ None
Doubtful
- ✅ None
Predicted England Lineup
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Jordan Pickford; Ezri Konsa, John Stones, Marc Guehi, Nico O’Reilly; Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson; Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon; Harry Kane.
Predicted Argentina Lineup
Formation: 4-1-3-2
Emiliano Martínez; Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martínez, Nicolás Tagliafico; Leandro Paredes; Rodrigo De Paul, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister; Lionel Messi, Julián Álvarez.
Key Selection Decisions
England’s biggest question remains the fitness of Declan Rice.
If the Arsenal midfielder is unable to start, Tuchel would need to adjust the balance of his midfield against one of the strongest central units remaining in the tournament.
For Argentina, Lionel Scaloni appears likely to reward Julián Álvarez following his match-winning performance against Switzerland, meaning Lautaro Martínez could once again begin on the bench.
Final Thoughts
England are close to full strength ahead of their huge semi-final against Argentina, with Declan Rice expected to recover in time despite recent illness. Aside from the suspended Jarell Quansah and injured Jordan Henderson, Thomas Tuchel has almost his full squad available.
Argentina, meanwhile, enter the match without any injury concerns, giving Lionel Scaloni the ideal platform as the defending champions chase another World Cup Final appearance.
Key Takeaways
- England remain without suspended defender Jarell Quansah.
- Jordan Henderson is still sidelined with a wrist injury.
- Declan Rice is expected to be available despite illness.
- Argentina have no injury or suspension concerns.
- Both teams are expected to field near full-strength lineups for the World Cup semi-final.
