Gareth Southgate’s England World Cup squad to be announced on May 16
Written by News on 11/05/2018
Gareth Southgate will announce England’s final World Cup squad on May 16, the Football Association has confirmed.
Southgate has until June 4 to reduce his squad to 23, but has decided to make his announcement next Wednesday, two days after the deadline passes to send a 35-man provisional party to FIFA.
The England manager will then discuss his selection for the tournament in Russia at a Wembley media conference on Thursday.
Southgate previously said he would prefer to name his final squad early, although he added a further five players would be placed on standby in case of injury.
Two potential Liverpool inclusions – forward Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and defender Joe Gomez – have already been ruled out, and there are injury doubts over Adam Lallana.
Southgate also has decisions to make in goal, where Burnley goalkeepers Nick Pope and Tom Heaton are battling to be included, and in midfield where Arsenal’s Jack Wilshere continues to push for a place.
England have one friendly scheduled before the final deadline, against Nigeria at Wembley on June 2, and they round-off their preparations against Costa Rica at Elland Road in Leeds on June 7.
Southgate’s men play their first Group G game against Tunisia on June 18 in Volgograd and also face Belgium and Panama.
(c) Sky News 2018: Gareth Southgate’s England World Cup squad to be announced on May 16
