Reece James to miss England’s next two games at the 2026 World Cup

Reece James to miss England’s next two games at the 2026 World Cup England manager Thomas Tuchel has been dealt another blow with Reece James ruled out of their next two World Cup matches with a hamstring injury, per The Guardian . The Three Lions are desperately short of specialist options at right-back heading into their final group game versus Panama. The Chelsea captain reported tightness in his hamstring after England’s goalless draw with Ghana in Boston. He also did not take part in Friday’s training session in Kansas City before the squad travelled to New York for Saturday’s final Group L clash against Panama. He will miss that encounter. James is also expected to sit out England’s last-32 tie should Tuchel’s side progress, with the medical staff unwilling to take risks given the defender’s history of hamstring problems. The 26-year-old only recently returned from a similar injury suffered while playing for Chelsea in March, an issue that sidelined him for almost two months. Despite concerns over his fitness, Tuchel started James in both of England’s opening World Cup fixtures against Croatia and Ghana, playing him for the full 90 minutes on each occasion. England are already thin because Tino Livramento suffered a calf injury before the tournament. In response, Tuchel called up Chelsea centre-back Trevoh Chalobah instead. Jarell Quansah, Ezri Konsa and Djed Spence are now among the alternatives available for the right-back role. Tuchel’s squad planning should get scrutinised. England are preparing to face a Panama side likely to sit deep without arguably the country’s best creative right-back, Trent Alexander-Arnold. It is a baffling situation. Alexander-Arnold is a right-back who can unlock stubborn defensive blocks with world-class passing and crossing. Tuchel has left Alexander-Arnold at home and now has to rely on Spence, who is not as good as him or centre-backs to fill in at right-back. Having Chalobah, Quansah or Konsa shuffling wide offers defensive security but little attacking imagination. If England struggle to break Panama down, questions over Tuchel’s decision to overlook Alexander-Arnold will only grow louder.