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26 June, 2026

Reece James Injury Raises Doubt Over England Knockout Stage Availability

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England defender Reece James could miss the start of the World Cup knockout stage after suffering a hamstring injury.

The Chelsea right-back has not trained since the 0-0 draw with Ghana and will also miss England’s final group match against Panama, with concerns he may be unavailable for the last-32 fixture if the team progress.

His absence highlights England manager Thomas Tuchel’s limited full-back options, with several alternatives either injured or not specialist defenders.

Meanwhile, midfielder Declan Rice has returned to training after a minor knock and is expected to be available for the Panama match.