Thomas Tuchel spoke to Sky Sports NewsChief correspondent Kafe Solheikol after the 2026 World Cup qualifiers draw and answered questions on a range of big talking points around his takeover as England manager – including whether Harry Kane will remain first choice and captain.
England’s all-time record goalscorer was criticized during Euro 2024 and was named on the bench by caretaker coach Lee Carsley for a must-win UEFA Nations League match in Greece last month.
Read on to find out what we learned from Tuchel on his view on Kane and his role in the team, as well as his judgment on Chelsea standout Cole Palmer, England’s World Cup qualifier, where he will be when he starts work from January 1 and whether he has held handover talks. With Carsley and former Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate…
England national team in World Cup qualifiers
It looks like Kane will remain a leader and key player under Tuchel…
“There’s no need at the moment to look at other options. It’s like Harry for everyone else too, we’re just… I admire him, for his quality, his leadership, his character. The players ultimately decide whether they do it or not.” To play or not to play, it’s always like that.
“I’m happy to have this group of players, including Harry, with great personalities and quality. The task now is to find the best group that people will be excited to watch, and feel inspired watching this team.”
Tuchel will have a high-profile presence in Premier League matches from January…
“You will see me in the stadiums from January, yes. The work starts from the signing because you are engaged [in the project] And today [the draw] “It was the start of our World Cup campaign, so obviously we had to be there.”
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Speaking at the unveiling of a statue and mural in his honour, England captain Harry Kane said he cannot wait to work with new coach Thomas Tuchel and has no intention of stopping anytime soon.
But where will it be based?
“I won’t tell you my address! Otherwise you’ll be in front of my house every week! I like you but not that much!”
“Of course we will be regularly at St George’s Park [the FA’s national football centre] Because this is where our base is and this is where we want to create an atmosphere and this is where we are happy to deal with all the people who work at the Football Association. We want to interact with them, we want to use quality and a sense of place.
“We’ll be watching a lot of games from January. I want to watch the games live, I’ll talk to the players – but also not interfere too much because they’re club players and they have to focus on that. You’ll see us in the stadiums a lot from January onwards.”
What did he think of England’s performance in the UEFA Nations League under Lee Carsley in November, when they beat Greece and the Republic of Ireland to return to the top flight?
“Of course I watched the games, wished Lee all the best and sent congratulations afterwards. I’m happy because I thought it was always the right decision to have Lee do the whole season and let him finish the job. He did an excellent performance, and the players did an excellent job.”
“It was difficult because they had a lot of injuries and they were desperate to get a result in Greece. They performed well and got the job done. Congratulations, well done. We saw it on TV.”
Did England look like World Cup winners?
“I knew it before, and from watching the matches, we have the players, the talent and the characteristics that enable us to go far. But now, first and foremost, we have to prove it in the qualifiers. Things are getting closer and closer, and the gaps between the teams. Big countries and small countries “Every tournament concludes, it is difficult to win matches, so we have to show full respect and show our highest level from March when it starts.”
How does Cole Palmer fit into Thomas Tuchel’s English squad?
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Watch in slow motion as Cole Palmer dances through the Spurs defense before Enzo Fernandes scores!
“That’s a long way off, as far as individual players are concerned! But he’s definitely in good shape, and I think everyone would agree on that. I hope he continues to grow and maintain the top level. Everyone enjoys watching him. He’s great, he’s calm, and he’s very strong.” Clinical in ending attacks and very helpful at the moment.
There was no big delivery from Carsley – and no file for the Three Lions!
“We have exchanged letters but there is no such thing as a famous file! We will be working from January in St. George and I hope it will become a very regular and normal thing that we meet and exchange because I am interested in his point of view.” About the nominations [selections]About the matches, about the potential in the group and how he felt about the group and his experiences. We will keep in touch. He is the coach of the under-21 team and he is very close to me and we have enough time as of January [to talk]”.
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Lee Carsley responded to England’s 5-0 win over Ireland, which was his last as caretaker coach. Carsley hopes to meet Thomas Tuchel soon and will make a detailed handover to the new manager.
Possibly catching up with Gareth Southgate in 2025 too…
“Not yet. But it’s still coming. He’s a gentleman and we’ve met before when I was at Chelsea. It was a pleasure talking to him. Why shouldn’t I?”
Tuchel will not take England’s World Cup qualifying opponents lightly, as Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra will take on the Three Lions…
“I have great respect for Serbia and Albania. They can always surprise. They have a strong history in football, technical football, emotional fans, emotional players and emotional groups. They have famous former players as coaches, so we have to be very careful.” Aware of that.
He added, “England have never faced Latvia, so this is a new experience for all of us, and then we will face Andorra where we are heavy favorites but we have to qualify, that is the most important thing. This is where all the focus is. There can be nothing.” Any other approach than taking it seriously, taking it with respect and making it happen before we can dream the dream.”
Finally, don’t expect him to start wearing suits…
[Speaking in a smart suit] – “Things are changing! Even a draw with the FA! It’s a comfortable feeling. This won’t be how I look on the sideline. I need more freedom to move. But on this occasion, it was nice to wear it!”
2026 European World Cup qualifiers: key dates
- Group stage match dates: March 21-25, June 6-10, September 4-9, October 9-14, November 13-18, 2025
- Playoff dates: March 26-31, 2026
- Final tournament dates: June 11 to July 19, 2026
When and where will the 2026 World Cup be held?
The 2026 Men’s World Cup will be held from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
The tournament will be held in 16 cities in three countries in North America: US, Canada and Mexico. This is the first time that three countries are hosting the World Cup.
The last time North America hosted the tournament was in 1994, when Brazil emerged victorious after defeating Italy on penalties.
The expanded World Cup will feature 48 teams – 16 more than the Qatar 2022 tournament – and will be held in three host countries for the first time.
World Cup 2026 – Qualifying Teams
Only three teams are so far certain of their place in the finals: the home team United States of America, Canada and Mexico.
2026 World Cup match schedule
The full fixture list with group matches and kick-off times will not be available until after the final tournament draw, which FIFA says is expected to take place at the end of 2025.
But FIFA has already announced the key dates and confirmed that the opening match will be held in Mexico City, with the final match being held at New Jersey Stadium – home of the New York Giants and New York Jets.
Group stage: June 11-27 Round of 32: June 28 to July 3 Round of 16: July 4-7 Quarter-finals: July 9-11 Semi-final: July 14-15 Third place match (“Bronze Final”): July 18 last: July 19
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