England to make late call on Declan Rice for World Cup semi-final

By Blessing Adeyi — 14 July 2026 — 4 min read

Midfielder’s fitness in focus

England faces a late decision regarding the availability of midfielder Declan Rice for the upcoming World Cup semi-final match against Argentina. Despite an ongoing illness, there is optimism that the Arsenal player will be fit enough to participate in Wednesday’s fixture.

Rice has been contending with a sickness bug, which began in the days leading up to Saturday’s quarter-final victory over Norway in Miami. Head coach Thomas Tuchel confirmed that Rice had spent three days unwell before the match, where he was substituted at half-time. England secured a 2-1 win after extra time in that game.

The illness was reportedly contracted in Mexico, following England‘s 3-2 win against the co-hosts in the last 16. While Rice has not fully recovered, his condition has shown significant improvement over the past 48 hours. Current indications suggest a strong possibility of him starting in Atlanta.

Given the importance of the semi-final, Rice is expected to declare himself fit. However, due to the severity of his illness, England‘s medical staff will make a final assessment closer to the match. Tuchel will monitor Rice‘s progress before making a definitive selection decision.

In addition to the sickness bug, Rice has been managing a neural issue affecting his lower back and hamstring for several months. The midfielder, who has 78 caps, has featured in all but one of England‘s World Cup matches to date, missing the 2-0 group-stage win against Panama due to an injury flare-up.

Squad fitness and availability

Ahead of the quarter-final against Norway, England received a boost with Declan Rice, Marc Guehi, and Reece James all returning to training. Rice had been ill and kept separate from his teammates after the last-16 victory in Mexico. Guehi had been dealing with a hamstring issue, missing a training session in Kansas City.

Both players participated in training in Miami before the match against Norway. Reece James also joined the session, marking his first return since sustaining a hamstring injury during England‘s second group-stage game against Ghana. Tuchel confirmed that all three were available for selection for the quarter-final.

The only player from the 26-man squad to miss the training session was Jordan Henderson, who sustained a wrist and arm injury during celebrations after the win over Mexico. Jarell Quansah was also unavailable for the Norway match due to a two-game ban following a red card in the previous fixture.

Tuchel expressed satisfaction with the squad’s fitness, stating, “We had everyone available in training. That’s the best news. We have the full choice except for our suspended player [Jarell Quansah].”

Regarding disciplinary matters, FIFA rules state that yellow card counts reset after both the group stage and the quarter-finals. This means no England player is currently at risk of suspension for the World Cup final unless they receive a straight red card.

Jude Bellingham was cautioned against DR Congo in the round of 32, while Guehi, O’Reilly, and Rice received yellow cards against Mexico in the last-16. All four players avoided further bookings against Norway, ensuring their availability for the semi-final against the 2022 World Cup winners.

Rice had also received a yellow card against Ghana in the group stage, but this was cleared due to the reset rule. Similarly, Jarell Quansah‘s yellow card against Panama in the group stage was scrubbed. However, his straight red card for a foul on Mexico‘s Jesus Gallardo in the last-16 match resulted in a two-game suspension, making him available again only if England reaches the final.

Key players for the semi-final

The availability of key players like Rice, Guehi, O’Reilly, and Bellingham is considered a significant advantage for England going into the semi-final. Jude Bellingham, the Real Madrid midfielder, has been a prominent scorer for England, netting two goals against both Mexico and Norway.

This places him as England‘s joint-top goalscorer in the 2026 World Cup alongside captain Harry Kane. Both players are two goals behind France‘s Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi, who each have eight goals.

Reece James, the Chelsea captain, who had been absent since an injury against Ghana in the group stage, also featured from the bench against Norway and is expected to be available. Ezri Konsa, who played at right-back against Norway, was substituted due to cramp rather than a muscular injury and is also expected to be available for Wednesday’s match.

The upcoming match against Argentina will be Lionel Messi‘s first encounter with England. Historically, England and Argentina have met in two consecutive World Cups prior to 1986. In 1998, Argentina eliminated England in the last 16 via penalties, a match notable for a controversial red card for David Beckham. In 2002, the teams drew 1-1 in the group stage, with a penalty from Beckham. The 1986 World Cup meeting saw Diego Maradona‘s two goals, including the ‘Hand of God’ goal, knock England out at the quarter-final stage.

The semi-final in Atlanta is anticipated to be a fiercely contested match, with the confirmed availability of key starters providing a boost for England.

Source: bbc.com