England confirm starting XI as Tuchel’s side face Albania in final World Cup qualifier

England have named their starting line-up for tonight’s World Cup qualifier against Albania, as Thomas Tuchel’s side look to complete their Group K campaign with a flawless record.

Kick-off is at 5pm GMT at the Air Albania in Tirana, where the hosts are still fighting for qualification while England have already secured their place at the 2026 World Cup.

Tuchel has gone with a strong attacking side, led by captain Harry Kane, supported by Eberechi Eze and Jarrod Bowen. The midfield features the now-familiar trio of Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, and Adam Wharton, while Dean Henderson starts in goal.

In defence, England line up with Jarell Quansah, John Stones, Dan Burn, and Nico O’Reilly, a blend of experience and emerging talent that Tuchel believes can maintain England’s impressive defensive record — they are yet to concede a single goal in this qualifying campaign.

Albania, needing a result to strengthen their own World Cup hopes, have named an equally competitive XI, with goalkeeper Thomas Strakosha, captain Berat Djimsiti, and midfield anchor Kristjan Asllani among their key starters.

The home crowd in Tirana is expected to create a fierce atmosphere, with Albania still pushing to secure a place at next year's tournament. England, meanwhile, are aiming to finish the group stage with maximum points and another clean sheet, something Tuchel insists remains “a key focus” despite qualification already being assured.

Confirmed Starting Line-Ups

Albania XI:
Thomas Strakosha; Elseid Hysaj, Berat Djimsiti (C), Naser Aliji, Ardian Ismajli; Kristjan Asllani, Qazim Laci, Ylber Ramadani; Nedim Bajrami, Myrto Uzuni, Arber Hoxha.

England XI:
Dean Henderson; Jarell Quansah, John Stones, Dan Burn, Nico O’Reilly; Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Adam Wharton; Harry Kane (C), Eberechi Eze, Jarrod Bowen.

Substitutes

Albania Subs:
Mario Dajsinani, Simon Simoni, Ivan Balliu, Klisman Cake, Arlind Ajeti, Adrion Pajaziti, Medon Berisha, Rey Manaj, Jasir Asani, Indrit Tuci, Mirlind Daku, Armando Broja.

England Subs:
Jordan Pickford, James Trafford, Reece James, Trevoh Chalobah, Djed Spence, Jordan Henderson, Phil Foden, Elliot Anderson, Alex Scott, Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford, Morgan Rogers.

With both teams naming full-strength squads, tonight’s contest promises to be far more than a routine end-of-group fixture. For Albania, the stakes are enormous. For England, it is a chance to underline their dominance and complete one of the most commanding qualification campaigns in their history.

The match kicks off at 5pm GMT and is being shown live on ITV1 and STV, with streaming available on ITVX and STV Player