What next for England and Thomas Tuchel after 2026 World Cup? Three Lions future assessed ahead of Euro 2028, WC 2030

Now that World Cup 2026 has come to a close, the globe's football associations will be turning their attention to planning future tournament cycles, with some nations opting for decisions as drastic as changing managers.

England boss Thomas Tuchel came under fire on a number of occasions this summer, and given the nature of the Three Lions' semi-final exit, many fans and pundits alike have been calling for his dismissal.

However, the head coach put pen to paper on a contract extension back in February that will take him through to Euro 2028, and considering that he is well-liked by the squad, there is no sign of him leaving the dugout any time soon.

Here, after England's disappointing World Cup, Sports Mole takes a look at what comes next for the Three Lions under Tuchel.

Thomas Tuchel's England were lacklustre throughout World Cup 2026

The Three Lions secured their second-greatest ever World Cup finish in 2026, so it may seem questionable on paper to suggest that the team were unimpressive.

However, England were not the dominant side for the entirety of any of their eight matches at this summer's tournament, and the reality of the campaign was that Tuchel's men squeezed through the rounds before their elimination.

For example, the 0-0 draw against Ghana in the group stage featured some controversial officiating, with goalkeeper Jordan Pickford avoiding being sent off for a collision with Prince Adu, while a penalty was not awarded after a thigh-height challenge from Ezri Konsa.

The round of 32 saw England fall behind early in their 2-1 win against the Democratic Republic of Congo, who squandered a golden opportunity to double their lead when Yoane Wissa hit the post from close range, before Harry Kane flipped the tie on its head with a late brace.

Tuchel's side narrowly overcame Mexico 3-2 in the round of 16, a game that required heroics from Jude Bellingham to beat El Tri, who were underdogs by some distance despite playing at Estadio Azteca.

The 2-1 quarter-final win over Norway also featured a less-than-stellar performance from England, whose equaliser was a point of controversy due to the ball appearing to hit a camera cable in the buildup, not to mention that the Vikings had a second goal ruled out in dubious circumstances.

12% - Average possession between Anthony Gordon's opener and Lautaro Martínez's winner (55th to 92nd minute):

12% - ??????? England
88% - ?? Argentina

Trapped. pic.twitter.com/J5S9wlHCpx
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 15, 2026

The Three Lions finally ran out of steam in their 2-1 semi-final defeat against Argentina, with superstars Bellingham and Kane largely anonymous on the night.

Supporters were willing to overlook a number of unimpressive showings as long as England were progressing at the World Cup, but Tuchel's tactics arguably cost the side a place in the final, with some labelling the team's retreat in the last-four cowardly.

England took the lead against Argentina through Anthony Gordon, and had largely kept La Albiceleste at bay, but between minute 55 and Lautaro Martinez's stoppage-time winner, the Three Lions surrendered the ball and averaged a shocking 12% possession.

Tuchel also made substitutions and changed to a defence-first approach with a back five, but instead of being airtight as planned, his tactics invited waves of pressure until Lionel Messi eventually found a way to provide two assists and knock England out of the World Cup.

The former Chelsea and Borussia Dortmund manager was brought in to take the nation over line and win silverware after Gareth Southgate's near misses, but he will need to learn from the mistakes of that semi-final.

Additionally, Tuchel will have his work cut out to win fans back following this summer's frustrating end, but if he can end their more-than-60-year trophy drought, then all will be forgiven.

England will face tougher opponents at Euro 2028 and World Cup 2030

England repeated their habit of being eliminated from the knockout stage of the World Cup by teams ranked amongst FIFA's top 10, and despite beating France in the third-placed playoff, their ability to go toe-to-toe with the best opponents around is in doubt.

At Euro 2028, the Three Lions will be competing with world champions Spain, but also revamped versions of Germany and Les Bleus.

Die Mannschaft produced a disappointing World Cup 2026 campaign, heading home after losing on penalties to relative minnows Paraguay in the round of 32.

However, while this summer will go down as an embarrassment and led to the resignation of then-manager Julian Nagelsmann, it also marked the first time since lifting the trophy in 2014 that Germany progressed beyond the group stage.

In response, former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is set to become the next Die Mannschaft boss, and it would not be surprising to see the four-time world champions return as a force on the biggest stages once again.

In that same vein, Didier Deschamps has stepped down as France manager following the World Cup, with Zinedine Zidane expected to lead a revitalised Bleus through the next tournament cycle.

With that in mind, England will face more stern competition for major honours in the coming years than they have in the recent past, and the Three Lions will need to find a way to bring their trend of losing to higher-ranked nations to an end.

Tuchel did highlight the importance of beating France on Saturday - even if it was only to third place - given the psychological implications ahead of the upcoming Nations League and Euros campaigns.

What comes next for Thomas Tuchel's England?

England's next set of fixtures takes place during the September and October international break, when they will be competing in League A of the UEFA Nations League.

Tuchel's side are set to face newly-crowned world champions Spain on September 29, a match that is sure to test the Three Lions' mettle.

Clashes against the Czech Republic and Croatia will follow as part of a schedule fans will use to judge the manager's post-World Cup alterations.

Further ahead, Euro 2028 will be hosted across the UK and Ireland, and repeating this summer's failures on home soil will be seen as a disaster, and almost certainly lead to Tuchel's dismissal.

If the boss stays on for World Cup 2030 - the 100th anniversary edition of the tournament - he will have a new cohort of stars in his squad, and it remains to be seen whether Kane, who would then be just shy of 37-years-old, retains his place as England's talisman up top.