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Before the England squad was officially confirmed on May 22, a series of high-profile omissions shocked the English football landscape.
Manchester City playmaker Phil Foden, Chelsea star Cole Palmer, Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, Manchester United left-back Luke Shaw and veteran defender Harry Maguire were all left out of the final 26-man list traveling to the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Conversely, Arsenal winger Noni Madueke, Al-Ahli striker Ivan Toney, Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo and Newcastle defender Tino Livramento secured their places on the final list.
Final roster decision looms
Palmer’s exclusion comes as a surprise to some after his stellar performance at Euro 2024, where he scored in England’s 2-1 defeat to Spain in the final.
Foden has 10 goals and seven assists in 49 appearances in all competitions for City this season, but has struggled to achieve the form he achieved in previous seasons for club and country.
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 31: Morgan Rogers, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer of England during the international friendly match between England and Japan at Wembley Stadium on March 31, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Charlotte Wilson/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
Gibbs-White was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise forgettable season for Nottingham Forest, racking up 14 goals and four assists in 36 appearances.
Toney’s last appearance for England came as a late substitute in a friendly defeat against Senegal in June 2025. He was not included during England’s final camp in March.
Mainoo played in both of England’s friendlies in March, coming on as a substitute against Uruguay and starting against Japan, his first appearances for the national team since 2024.
Madueke, 24, has made 41 appearances for Premier League champions Arsenal but has not started their last three matches following Bukayo Saka’s return from injury.
He also appeared as a substitute against Uruguay, before being one of eight players to withdraw ahead of the second friendly against Japan.
Livramento made his England debut in the 2024 Nations League and has started the Three Lions’ last five matches.
Maguire ‘shocked and gutted’
Macguire confirmed in a social media post on Thursday that he was not part of Thomas Tuchel’s roster for the tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, saying he was “shocked and gutted” by the decision.
Tuchel is expected to confirm his squad on Friday.
Maguire helped England reach the semi-finals of the World Cup in 2018 and the final of the 2020 European Championship. He was also part of the England team that reached the quarter-finals of the last World Cup in Qatar. An injury ruled him out of Euro 2024.
“I was convinced that I could have played a major role this summer for my country after the season I had. I was shocked and gutted by this decision. I wish the players good luck,” he said.
Maguire received his first call-up by Tuchel in March after helping to revive United’s season following the departure of former manager Ruben Amorim. Before that, he was excluded from the national team since September 2024.
Having been an integral part of former England manager Gareth Southgate’s team, Maguire has fallen behind the likes of Marc Guehi and Ezri Konsa in recent years.
