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8 July 2026

England have stepped up their preparations for the upcoming World Cup quarter-final this weekend, but four of their players were notably absent from training on Wednesday as Thomas Tuchel’s squad readies itself to face Norway.

The Three Lions will take on the Norwegians in Miami on Saturday, aiming to book a place in the semi-finals of the tournament.

Training took place at England’s Kansas City base camp in the Swope Soccer Village facility, where 22 out of the 26 players in Tuchel’s squad participated in the session.

Midfielder Jordan Henderson remained at the team hotel, The Inn and Meadowbrook, recovering from surgery on his arm. The injury occurred during post-match celebrations following England’s thrilling 3-2 victory over Mexico at the Estadio Azteca.

Although Henderson is not expected to play any further part in the World Cup, he is staying with the team for the remainder of the competition to offer support.

In an update shared on Wednesday, Henderson wrote, “Surgery done! Let’s get ready for the big one Saturday,” along with a photo showing him giving a thumbs-up from his hospital bed. He also expressed gratitude to the medical team at the Kansas City Orthopaedic Institute, especially surgeons Dr Kenneth P Unruh, Dr Mark J Winston, and Dr Kirk McCullough, who performed the operation.

Reece James, Marc Guehi, and vice-captain Declan Rice were also missing from the training session on Wednesday.

James is attempting to make his return for the quarter-final after sitting out England’s matches against Panama, the DR Congo, and Mexico due to a hamstring problem.

There is currently no serious concern regarding Rice or Guehi’s fitness, though it remains uncertain whether either will be available for selection against Norway in Miami.