England's 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup was effectively public knowledge well before Friday's official announcement, after a series of leaks on Thursday evening exposed the full list of inclusions and omissions to journalists and fans alike.

The information began filtering through from around 17:00 BST — at roughly the same moment most of the players themselves were hearing the news for the first time. Thomas Tuchel had telephoned those left out to inform them personally, while those who made the cut received a WhatsApp message.

Culture before quality

Tuchel made clear that pure ability was not his sole criterion for selection, delivering a pointed statement about the values he expects from his squad.