England U17 kick off their Round 2 campaign in the UEFA Euro 2026 qualifiers with an opening fixture against the Faroe Islands—a crucial encounter in their bid to secure promotion back to League A. Relegated after a disappointing first round, the Young Lions now have a clear and uncompromising objective: finish top of a group that also includes Israel and hosts Estonia. With only the group winners earning promotion, there is no margin for error from the outset.
A young but increasingly well-defined group
For this camp, Liam Bramley is working with a 2009–2010 generation that is beginning to take clear shape. In midfield, Manchester City’s Karim Cassim—called up for the first time—offers a technically accomplished, box-to-box profile developed within one of the country’s leading academies. Alongside him, JJ Gabriel (Manchester United), born in 2010, continues to play above his age group and is already establishing himself as the standout figure in the squad, attracting significant attention despite his youth.
Mahdi Nicoll-Jazuli (Chelsea) is another representative of this emerging London-based talent pool. The 2010-born attacking midfielder has already impressed in previous camps with his vision and passing range. Further forward, Newcastle United’s Michael Mills, a new addition to the squad, arrives with a reputation as a consistent goalscorer at academy level, while Ajay Tavares—recently snapped up by Barcelona—adds further attacking threat with a skillset that has already caught the eye at elite level.
England U17 Starting XI vs Faroe Islands
- Roman Dowell (Newcastle United)
- Calvin Diakite (Chelsea)
- Jacob Howard (Leeds United)
- Marli Salmon (Arsenal)
- Oscar Sandiford (Tottenham Hotspur)
- Karim Cassim (Manchester City)
- JJ Gabriel (Manchester United)
- Max Little (Southampton)
- Michael Mills (Newcastle United)
- Ryan Kavuma-McQueen (Chelsea)
- Teddie Lamb (Manchester City)
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