England to Face Uruguay and Japan in March Friendlies

England's national football team will face Uruguay and Japan in international friendlies at Wembley Stadium in March, serving as their final preparations on home soil before head coach Thomas Tuchel names his squad for the 2026 World Cup.

The matches, scheduled for Friday, March 27 against Uruguay and Tuesday, March 31 against Japan, both with 7:45 p.m. kickoffs, were confirmed by the Football Association following last week's World Cup draw. Both opponents rank in the top 20 of FIFA's men's world standings, with Uruguay at 16th and Japan at 18th, providing a competitive test for the fourth-ranked Three Lions against teams from outside Europe. Both Uruguay and Japan have already qualified for the tournament, set to run from June 11 to July 19 across Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

"We are really pleased to have these two fixtures confirmed as our World Cup year takes shape," Tuchel said. "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. After Friday's draw, the excitement for next year is really building and we can't wait to see our fans again at Wembley."