England manager Thomas Tuchel has named a provisional squad ahead of the upcoming Nations League matches against Spain, the Czech Republic and Croatia, with several young players included as he begins to shape his side following the national team's World Cup campaign.
Liverpool teenager Rio Ngumoha is among those included in the preliminary list, having caught attention earlier this year when he was included in England's pre-World Cup training camp in Palm Beach. The 18-year-old made an unexpected senior debut in the warm-up fixture against New Zealand, delivering an impressive second-half showing. Despite that eye-catching cameo, Ngumoha has not yet featured in a full England squad, and it remains to be seen whether Tuchel will hand him a first competitive call-up for the September fixtures.
Aston Villa full-back Lewis Hall has also been named, a decision that will draw scrutiny given his surprising absence from the World Cup squad — a tournament England entered without a recognised left-back. His inclusion this time suggests Tuchel may be looking to address that positional gap.
Other names on the extended list include Bournemouth's Alex Scott, Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly, and Everton duo Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Jarrad Branthwaite. Manchester City's Phil Foden and Cole Palmer, two of the most notable omissions from England's World Cup squad, have also been included this time around. Their absence from the tournament squad had been widely criticised given their attacking quality and creativity, and their recall will be seen by many as a corrective step by Tuchel.
As is customary, Tuchel must first submit this preliminary list before naming his final squad on Friday, from which the group for the three fixtures will be drawn. Jordan Henderson, Dean Henderson and John Stones are expected to miss out due to injury.
The squad announcement comes at a sensitive moment for the England setup. The team's World Cup run ended in the semi-finals with a dramatic 2-1 defeat to Argentina, a result that overshadowed a tournament that also included a memorable last-16 win over Mexico with England down to 10 men. The manner of the semi-final loss — surrendering a 1-0 lead late in the game — prompted internal discussions within the camp about what went wrong.
The Football Association is currently conducting a review of England's World Cup campaign, though officials have stressed this is a routine process rather than a signal of deeper concern. Sources close to the FA describe the tournament, which saw England reach their best finish since 1966, as a success overall, and the governing body has already given its backing to Tuchel heading into Euro 2028 qualification.
Tuchel and members of his coaching staff contributed to the review during sessions at St George's Park in late August, with players' feedback also being gathered as part of the process. A report is expected to be presented to senior FA figures once complete, though its findings will not be made public.
Part of the review is also examining the impact of England's decision to use Kansas City as a permanent base throughout the World Cup, with the squad returning there after every fixture. The effects of that repeated travel are being assessed as part of the broader inquiry.
While the substance of the review remains private, the coming weeks of international fixtures will offer an early indication of whether the unity that characterised England's World Cup run — epitomised by their spirited win in Mexico City — remains intact under Tuchel.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport Football.