England Schedule Confirmed: Uruguay and Japan Friendlies Ahead of World Cup

Thomas Tuchel relishes Uruguay and Japan friendlies for England

England head coach Thomas Tuchel is pleased with the upcoming friendlies against Uruguay and Japan, citing the teams' top-20 rankings and non-European opposition.

“We are really pleased to have these two fixtures confirmed as our World Cup year takes shape...”

England is set to host Uruguay and Japan in friendly matches at Wembley Stadium next March as part of their preparation for the 2026 World Cup. The matches will give England manager Thomas Tuchel a chance to evaluate his squad before finalizing his selection for the tournament in May.

Uruguay, currently ranked 16th in the world, will be England's first opponent on March 27, followed by Japan, ranked 18th, on March 31. These games will provide Tuchel with valuable opportunities to test his squad against strong non-European teams.

After last week's draw didn't pair England with Asian or South American opposition, Tuchel said it might be preferable to find different opponents in March. But the fixtures have been confirmed, and England will face 16th-ranked Uruguay on March 27, followed by a clash with 18th-ranked Japan three days later.

“We are really pleased to have these two fixtures confirmed as our World Cup year takes shape,” Tuchel said in a statement. “Both Uruguay and Japan are excellent teams who will provide us with a great test ahead of the World Cup.”

“We wanted to play two teams ranked in the top 20 in the world, but also to test ourselves against opponents from outside ⁠of Europe.”

England's last meeting with Uruguay was a 2-1 defeat in the group stage at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. This upcoming match will be a chance for England to bounce back from that loss.

England Squad

England have only met Japan three times, with their most recent encounter being in 2010. These friendly matches will give Tuchel's squad valuable experience against strong Asian opposition.

Our #ThreeLions’ March opponents have been confirmed ✅

Thomas Tuchel’s team will play Uruguay and Japan at @wembleystadium.

— England (@England) December 10, 2025

Tuchel's team is expected to play two additional warm-up matches in the US before the World Cup, which will be hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico. England is in Group L of the World Cup, where they'll face Croatia, Ghana, and Panama in the group stage.

Their opening match is set for June 17 against Croatia in Dallas, a rematch of the 2018 World Cup semifinal.