World Cup 2026: Five reasons England will fail to win first trophy since 1966

The 2026 World Cup is within touching distance, and the majority of Thomas Tuchel's England squad have arrived at their pre-tournament training camp in Florida.

After a period of nearly moments under Gareth Southgate - losing European Championship finals in 2021 and 2024 to Italy and Spain respectively - the Three Lions are targeting this summer to finally end 60 years of hurt.

With an embarrassment of riches in most positions, a Champions League-winning coach and arguably the planet's top striker, England have plenty in their favour. However, we are going to play devil's advocate for a moment.

Here, Sports Mole outlines five reasons why England will fail to win the 2026 World Cup, extending their painful wait for a major trophy.

WHY ENGLAND WON'T WIN WORLD CUP: HOT AND HUMID CONDITIONS

During England's opening training session in Florida on Tuesday (June 2), temperatures in West Palm reached a staggering 32 degrees celsius, providing a stark warning for what is to come throughout the tournament.

Whilst it is easy to disregard the impact of weather conditions as a lazy excuse for underperformance, the reasoning is backed by the history books, with European sides winning just two of the 11 World Cups held outside of their home continent.

The Three Lions' most recent major tournament in the heat and humidity expected this summer came at the 2014 World Cup, in which Roy Hodgson's side finished bottom of a group containing Italy, Uruguay and surprise package Costa Rica.

Apart from Saudi Pro League striker Ivan Toney, England's squad are simply not used to consistently extreme conditions, and this is likely to result in a decline in intensity from Tuchel's men.

WHY ENGLAND WON'T WIN WORLD CUP: LACK OF GAME-CHANGERS

Tuchel's shock omissions of Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Morgan Gibbs-White raised plenty of eyebrows last month, however, there is a simple way to see more sense in the German's decisions.

Especially on the wing and in the attacking-midfield role, all of England's men facilitate the often-unorthodox style of talisman Harry Kane, who likes to drop extremely deep and link the game with his elite passing.

For the Bayern Munich man to be effective in those instances, the Three Lions need forwards who will attack the space behind defences, with Tuchel doubling up on those type of options on both flanks.

There is a worry, though, that England could miss the maverick abilities of Palmer and Foden off the bench, with Noni Madueke and Anthony Gordon picked for their suitability to Plan A rather than their game-changing potential.

WHY ENGLAND WON'T WIN WORLD CUP: UNSETTLED BACKLINE

On their way to the European Championships final in 2021, Southgate's England conceded just a single goal, and that theme of defensive solidity characterises the team under the previous regime.

Three years later at Euro 2024, the Three Lions were a tough watch as they failed to find the right balance in attack, however, you could put your hat on Harry Maguire, Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier keeping things tight at the back.

Either retiring from international football or failing to make the 2026 cut, all three of those names will not feature this summer for England, who have looked vulnerable against better opposition during Tuchel's short reign.

Do not be blinded by the Three Lions' flawless qualification campaign in which they keep eight straight clean sheets, as friendlies versus Senegal, Japan and Uruguay highlighted the worrying weaknesses of a new-look backline when properly tested.

WHY ENGLAND WON'T WIN WORLD CUP: THOMAS TUCHEL

Despite recently extending his contract with the FA until Euro 2028, Tuchel is not here to change the culture of the England national team or build long-term friendships. He is here to win the 2026 World Cup.

This mindset is in stark contrast to the motivation and approach of former manager Southgate, whose diplomatic manner brought the country together, slowly building a team that the public could be proud of.

Whether it be calling Maguire his fifth-choice centre-back or moaning at England fans for the lack of Wembley atmosphere last year, Tuchel has shown that he is not afraid to ruffle the feathers of anyone around him.

Focusing on this summer, a genuine fear is that the German coach's demeanour and attitude could nosedive if the Three Lions begin the World Cup poorly, potentially clashing with star players and supporters alike.

WHY ENGLAND WON'T WIN WORLD CUP: DUE A BAD TOURNAMENT

Under the steady leadership of Southgate, England have reached the semi-finals in three of their past four major tournaments, only falling short of that standard at the World Cup in 2022, when they lost to France in the last eight.

In that time, international powerhouses France, Spain, Germany and Italy have all suffered embarrassing performances on the big stage, exiting tournaments early or failing to qualify altogether.

England's most recent disgrace came at Euro 2016, where Hodgson's troops were dumped out of the continental competition by European minnows Iceland, who snatched a spot in the quarter-finals.

Despite failing to jump that final hurdle and win a piece of silverware over the past eight years, the Three Lions have been remarkably reliable - something that was taken for granted by some supporters during the Southgate era.