Rio Ngumoha, Alex Scott, Josh King and Ethan Nwaneri will not be part of England’s final squad for the 2026 World Cup, but the trio will still travel to the United States this summer. Three Lions head coach Thomas Tuchel has decided to bring the four youngsters — alongside Jason Steele, to Florida in order to bolster his squad during the pre-tournament training camp.
A call-up for 4 rising prospects
In reality, Rio Ngumoha, Alex Scott, Josh King & Ethan Nwaneri are not included in England’s official 26-man World Cup squad. However, Thomas Tuchel has still called them up as he looks to maintain sufficient depth in training and carefully manage player workloads ahead of friendlies against New Zealand and Costa Rica, particularly due to the delayed arrival of Arsenal’s players following the Champions League final.
Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze will join up with the national team later than the rest of the squad, forcing the England staff to find temporary solutions during the opening phase of the camp. It is the profiles of the highly-rated Ngumoha, Scott and King that have ultimately been selected.
Alex Scott’s situation is perhaps the most telling. Already called up earlier in the season, the Bournemouth midfielder earned recognition through his consistency under Andoni Iraola. At just 22 years old, he has established himself as one of the Premier League’s most dependable midfielders, capable of providing energy, intensity and genuine technical quality in tight spaces. Thomas Tuchel himself highlighted the player’s reaction after missing out on the final squad, praising both his attitude and his immediate willingness to still join the England setup.
As for Josh King, the call-up further underlines his steady development at Fulham. At 19, the midfielder has become part of the rotation at an established Premier League club and continues to accumulate valuable top-flight minutes at an age where many players are still confined to academy football.
Meanwhile, Rio Ngumoha has emerged as one of the breakout stories of Liverpool’s season finale. The 17-year-old winger has gained increasing attention in recent months thanks to a series of impressive first-team performances. Explosive in one-versus-one situations, aggressive with his ball carrying and already capable of unsettling experienced defenders, he is widely viewed as one of the most exciting English attacking prospects of his generation.
This call-up also carries a significant strategic element. Ngumoha remains eligible to represent France internationally, and England are naturally keeping a close eye on his development. While his inclusion in the pre-World Cup camp changes nothing formally regarding his international future, it allows him to experience the senior Three Lions environment, grow closer to the main squad and, above all, understand that he is already part of England’s long-term plans.
Finally, the last player to be added to the group — with the announcement arriving slightly later than the others — was Ethan Nwaneri. The highly-rated Arsenal attacking talent is coming off a loan spell at Olympique de Marseille that unfortunately failed to truly take off. Nevertheless, the 19-year-old has been a key figure for England’s Under-21 side since last year and remains one of the brightest long-term prospects in English football.
And although Rio Ngumoha, Alex Scott, Josh King & Ethan Nwaneri are unlikely — barring injuries — to play a direct role at the 2026 World Cup, their presence around the England camp already feels like a first step towards the future of the Three Lions.
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