England Defender Withdraws from World Cup; Replacement Pick in the Spotlight

Updated: 2026-06-19 | Real-time information should be confirmed against official announcements

England have had a defensive shake-up on the eve of the 2026 World Cup. Newcastle United defender Tino Livramento has withdrawn from this World Cup through injury and will not travel with the squad. According to BBC, Sky Sports, ESPN and the England FA, Livramento strained his calf in training on Sunday, and after a scan on Monday the injury was confirmed to be too serious to make the tournament, with recovery estimated to take several weeks. For a team known for its squad depth, being a young right-back short is hardly a crippling blow, but adding to the squad just 24 hours before the opener is something of a hiccup for the coaching staff’s planning rhythm.

The replacement is Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah. He was already on England’s standby list, and this time he has been formally added to the 26-man squad by head coach Thomas Tuchel, taking Livramento’s place. Reports indicate that Chalobah only joined up with the team after England’s opening match against Croatia, first arriving at the base in Kansas City, so he will not feature in the opener.

Speaking of England’s schedule, here is a common misconception to clear up first for friends planning to watch in Canada: all of England’s group-stage matches this tournament are being played inside the United States, not in Canada. England are in Group L, alongside Croatia, Ghana and Panama, with the opener against Croatia on 17 June local time at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas (Dallas region), followed by matches against Ghana and Panama scheduled in Boston (Foxborough) and the New York/New Jersey region respectively. Actual kick-off times, venues and groupings should be confirmed against FIFA’s official schedule.

So for fans in Canada who want to watch England, there are realistically two routes: one is to cross the border into the corresponding US region to watch in person (be mindful of US entry and ticketing rules), and the other is to stay in Canada and follow the broadcast via television or streaming. While this kind of last-minute roster change does not affect where you watch, it does shift England’s defensive setup in Group L, and those who enjoy the finer details should keep an eye on the squad and starting lineups that follow. For the final match-day squad, ticketing and broadcast arrangements, we recommend relying on the official announcements from FIFA and the England FA.