Taking their first step towards qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, England get Group K under way with a home game against Albania on Friday evening.
New boss Thomas Tuchel will lead the Three Lions out at Wembley for his first fixture in charge of last year's European Championship runners-up.
Match preview
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Having finished their latest UEFA Nations League campaign with a flourish, England now start 2025 by playing their opening qualifier for the next World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Fixtures take place across five international windows between now and November, with only the top team from each of 12 groups qualifying automatically for the finals - second-placed sides must participate in the playoffs.
So, England will aim to seize control of Group K this month, as one of the favourites for global glory play their first pair of matches under Tuchel: after hosting Albania on Friday, they welcome Latvia to London three days later.
In a group also featuring Serbia and Andorra, the Three Lions are expected to finish first, partly owing to the wealth of talent at Tuchel's disposal and partly due to their superb recent record en route to World Cups.
Unbeaten across their last 31 qualifiers for FIFA's top tournament - winning 23 times in the process - England hold the longest ongoing run of any European nation. Only once before have they ever lost their first fixture of a campaign - to Germany in October 2000, in the final game at the old Wembley Stadium.
Furthermore, the 1966 world champions have won all six of their previous meetings with Albania, only having more impressive 100% ratios against minnows Luxembourg (nine wins from nine games), San Marino (eight) and Malta (seven).
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Albania have actually scored just one goal across those half-dozen encounters, most recently losing 5-0 in qualifying for Qatar 2022, as Harry Kane helped himself to a hat-trick.
While England achieved promotion back to Europe's top tier in this season's Nations League, Sylvinho's side slumped into League C by losing their last game against Ukraine in November.
In a particularly tight group, Albania not only saw slim hopes of being promoted falter on the final matchday, but a 2-1 defeat saw them automatically relegated instead.
Nonetheless, they can now start afresh in World Cup qualifying, once again seeking an overdue debut at the global finals.
While the Kuqezinjte have reached two of the last three Euros, they are yet to achieve the ultimate dream, so securing a top-two finish in Group K will be their goal over the upcoming months.
As Albania have never won a competitive match against any team in the top 10 of FIFA's world rankings - losing on 17 of 19 previous attempts - they may not expect to take points from their opener, but Sunday's game against Andorra will be a must-win.
Team News
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Thomas Tuchel's first England squad contained some surprises, with Ajax midfielder Jordan Henderson being recalled and Newcastle United's EFL Cup final hero Dan Burn finally earning selection.
As ever, the initial list has already been altered, as Cole Palmer withdrew to undergo further assessment on the injury he sustained before Chelsea's recent Premier League loss to Arsenal; belatedly rewarded for some fine form this season, Morgan Gibbs-White is his replacement.
While it remains to be seen how Tuchel will set his side up, Jordan Pickford is sure to earn his 74th cap in goal, and it has been confirmed that Harry Kane will continue as captain.
Since Kane made his first appearance in World Cup qualifiers back in September 2016, only Robert Lewandowski (25) and Cristiano Ronaldo (21) have scored more goals in European qualifying (17 in 14 matches). The Bayern Munich striker has also been directly involved in six goals in two games against Albania.
Meanwhile, the visitors are skippered by Atalanta BC defender Berat Djimsiti, one of seven Italy-based players in Sylvinho's 26-man squad.
Another Serie A veteran, Lazio's Elseid Hysaj, is sidelined by injury, alongside Mario Mitaj of Al-Ittihad, who has just undergone groin surgery.
First-choice strikers Armando Broja and Rey Manaj were both unavailable in November, but both return to national-team duty this month and will compete to start up front.
England possible starting lineup:
Pickford; Walker, Guehi, Colwill, Lewis-Skelly; Henderson, Rice; Foden, Bellingham, Rashford; Kane
Albania possible starting lineup:
Strakosha; Balliu, Ismajli, Djimsiti, Aliji; Asllani, Ramadani; Asani, Bajrami, Muci; Manaj
We say: England 3-0 Albania
Given their status as regulars in the latter part of major tournaments, an experienced England squad are ultimately expected to contend for World Cup glory.
As such, they should sweep aside Albania on home turf, putting Thomas Tuchel alongside the nation's last 10 permanent managers, all of whom won their first game as Three Lions boss.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Jonathan O'Shea
