Reece James Ruled Out of England’s Next Two World Cup Games
Reece James will sit out at least England’s next two World Cup fixtures after reporting hamstring tightness following Tuesday’s 0-0 draw with Ghana in Boston, according to The Guardian.
The Chelsea captain did not take part in training in Kansas City on Friday ahead of the squad’s flight to New York, where England face Panama in their final group-stage game on Saturday. He is also set to miss the subsequent last-32 tie, should England progress — which most expect them to do.
James had only recently returned from a hamstring injury sustained while playing for Chelsea against Newcastle on 14 March, which kept him sidelined for close to two months. Manager Thomas Tuchel had used him for the full 90 minutes in both of England’s group games against Croatia and Ghana — a workload that carried an element of risk given James’s well-documented injury history and the need to manage his minutes carefully.
The timing is awkward for Tuchel, who has always viewed James as his first-choice right-back. England are targeting eight matches across 33 days in North America, and losing their preferred option at this stage puts real strain on the squad’s depth in that position.
The situation is made worse by the fact that Tino Livramento, selected as James’s backup, was ruled out on the eve of the tournament with a calf injury in training. In response, Tuchel called up Chelsea centre-half Trevoh Chalobah and indicated that Jarell Quansah — predominantly a central defender — could fill in at right-back. Ezri Konsa and Djed Spence are also available as makeshift options.
Notably absent from the discussion is Trent Alexander-Arnold. The Real Madrid full-back was not selected for this squad and has featured in just one England camp under Tuchel, suggesting the manager has little intention of turning to him even in an injury crisis.
For UK bettors keeping a close eye on England’s World Cup prospects, the right-back situation is worth factoring into any outright or match betting. Visit our World Cup 2026 hub for the latest tips and analysis, and keep tabs on how the group shakes out with our live standings.