World Cup 2026: England's predicted lineup vs Panama

GK - Jordan Pickford

There's not really any debate around who should start in goal for England, with Jordan Pickford having been the undisputed number one for the best part of a decade now, and we're expecting him to earn his 87th cap from the start against Panama.

He didn't have much to do against Ghana, but another World Cup clean sheet was added to his impressive international tally, and despite it probably not making too much difference who's in goal for this one, we're backing the Everton #1.

RB - Ezri Konsa

With Reece James apparently a doubt for Panama vs England, and Tino Livramento going home before a ball was even kicked, the Three Lions are suddenly looking a bit light in the full-back department, so we're tipping Ezri Konsa to deputise.

The Aston Villa man has played every minute so far at the 2026 World Cup, contributing to the clean sheet last time out, and while it will be slightly unnatural for him out there, he's more than capable of filling in at right-back - especially against a team who should have very limited chances to attack.

CB - John Stones

With Konsa moving to the right, John Stones is making a return to the starting lineup in our predicted XI, with the experienced defender hoping to enjoy the same success he did against Panama back in 2018 - when he scored a brace.

With 90 international appearances to his name, the 32-year-old is slowly closing in on the 100-cap mark, and having watched the previous game from the bench, his legs should be fresh enough to step in and play a big part as England search for the all-important result.

CB - Marc Guehi

Alongside John Stones, we're backing Marc Guehi to get a second consecutive World Cup start, with the Manchester City defender proving his class in the 0-0 draw with Ghana - emphasised by his staggering total of 126 completed passes.

He was seen by many as England's number one centre-back before a ball was kicked this summer, so it was a surprise to see him named among the subs for the opener against Croatia, but with Guehi now back in the fold, we expect him to stay there.

LB - Nico O'Reilly

Youngster Nico O'Reilly had a good impact off the bench on Tuesday night, hitting the crossbar with England's best attempt on goal, and we're backing him to earn his starting place back over the rotated Djed Spence.

O'Reilly has been a revelation since emerging under Pep Guardiola this season, and seems to have all the attributes to nail down that England left-back spot for many years, so our experts are expecting him to earn his eighth international cap from the start on Saturday night - particularly as he's the squad's only left-footed left-back.

CM - Elliot Anderson

No one has been surprised by Elliot Anderson's strong performances thus far, and despite the relatively quick turnaround from Tuesday's battle, we're expecting him to retain his place in the starting XI for Panama vs England.

The Nottingham Forest midfielder hasn't put a foot wrong in his 11 previous England games, and has proven himself worthy of being one of Thomas Tuchel's favourites, so while Kobbie Mainoo is a very strong option to come in, we think Anderson keeps the shirt.

CM - Jude Bellingham

We're predicting a slightly different role for Jude Bellingham in this one, with the Real Madrid star dropping back into central midfield to replace Declan Rice - who is an injury doubt following his lung-busting 90 minutes against Ghana.

Bellingham has proven that he needs to be on the pitch if England want to be at their best, with that ability to grab a game by the scruff of the neck invaluable in tournament football, and with the skillset to do just about everything in the middle of the park, he'll fill in perfectly to give Rice a much-needed rest.

RW - Bukayo Saka

One of the big calls in our England predicted lineup is Bukayo Saka coming in to start in place of Noni Madueke, who struggled to have the desired impact in Tuesday's 0-0 draw - despite being given 83 minutes to have his say.

Saka's impact off the bench has been notably strong in the two Group L games so far, and this feels like the ideal game to bring him into, with Panama likely setting up in a low block to avoid being too exposed - so we're backing the Arsenal star to finally get his first start of the summer.

CAM - Morgan Rogers

Another man who we're predicting to start is Morgan Rogers, who has also come off the bench in both of England's group games up to this point - and with such little creativity on show against Ghana, this feels set up for the Aston Villa man to make his mark.

All the chat before the tournament was Rogers vs Bellingham, but with such a strong relationship, we're backing them both to start - and both to impress. Rogers' running power and elite footwork make him an excellent option for Thomas Tuchel, and with the manager making clear how big a fan he is of the 23-year-old, we think he's getting the nod this weekend.

LW - Marcus Rashford

Like the previous two names in this predicted XI, Marcus Rashford has come off the bench in both of England's World Cup games to great effect, scoring in their win over Croatia and adding real impetus in the 0-0 draw with Ghana - so we're tipping him to start ahead of Anthony Gordon against Panama.

Gordon hasn't been able to cause too much damage in Group L, so Rashford coming in seems an obvious choice to add that bit of extra fear-factor in the frontline, with his World Cup goalscoring record speaking for itself. The Manchester United man has more World Cup goals than Gordon has international goals in general, so with a positive result being crucial, we think Tuchel will go with Rashford.

ST - Harry Kane

Finally, Harry Kane will start for England once again, and with his Golden Boot charge taking a hit against Ghana, we wouldn't be surprised to see him get plenty of shots away - especially having scored a hat-trick against Panama back in 2018.

The Three Lions skipper is enjoying the best season of his career, so it would be slightly reckless to take him out of the starting XI here, with the Bayern Munich striker having more international goals than all 25 of his teammates combined. He's still very much the main man, and will continue to be the first name on the teamsheet throughout the tournament.

For those interested, we will also produce a more in-depth match preview for Panama vs England, including our bet builder tips for the Three Lions' latest World Cup match.

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All odds and market details are accurate as of the time of publication.

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