England prepares to face Serbia at Wembley Stadium on Thursday, November 13, 2025, in a World Cup 2026 qualifier, with both Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden eyeing a return to the starting lineup. Kick-off is set for 7:45 p.m. GMT, and the match will be broadcast free-to-air in the UK.
Having already secured their place at the World Cup next summer, England, led by manager Thomas Tuchel, aims to maintain their perfect record in Group K. The Three Lions have won all six of their qualifying matches, scoring 18 goals and conceding none. Serbia, on the other hand, is fighting for a playoff spot and sits just one point behind Albania in the group. A loss for Serbia coupled with an Albania win against Andorra would eliminate them from contention.
Tuchel has recalled both Bellingham and Foden to the squad after they were absent from the previous international break in October. Bellingham was recovering from shoulder surgery, while Foden is back in the fold for the first time since Tuchel's first camp in March. Despite their return, it is not guaranteed that both will start against Serbia. Bellingham, in particular, may start on the bench, with Morgan Rogers potentially retaining his place in the No. 10 role after impressing in recent games. Tuchel has shown trust in Rogers, who came into the team for September's 5-0 win over Serbia and has not looked back.
Several injuries have impacted Tuchel's squad selection. Newcastle United pair Nick Pope (concussion) and Anthony Gordon (hip problem) have withdrawn, while Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi is doubtful with a foot injury. Chelsea centre-back Trevoh Chalobah and Manchester City goalkeeper James Trafford have been drafted into the squad as replacements. Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott has received his first senior call-up but has been left out of the matchday squad. Nico O'Reilly from Manchester City and Jarell Quansah from Bayer Leverkusen are other uncapped players in the squad.
Serbia will be without their top scorer, Aleksandar Mitrovic, who is sidelined with injury. Dusan Vlahovic is expected to lead the line in his absence. Furthermore, Serbia has a new manager in charge, with Veljko Paunovic taking over from Dragan Stojkovic after their defeat to Albania in October. Paunovic, who previously coached Reading and Real Oviedo, faces a tough debut at Wembley.
England enters the match in imperious form, having won all six of their group games without conceding a goal. Their 5-0 victory over Latvia last month secured their qualification for the World Cup. Serbia, meanwhile, is aiming to secure a playoff spot, but faces a monumental challenge against the dominant England side.
Possible England starting XI: Pickford; James, Konsa, Stones, Burn; Anderson, Rice; Saka, Rogers, Rashford; Kane.
