England at World Cup 2026: Thomas Tuchel 'names' injury-hit Chelsea star in provisional squad

England head coach Thomas Tuchel has included Chelsea defender Levi Colwill in his provisional squad for the 2026 World Cup.

Colwill has missed the majority of the 2025-26 season after undergoing surgery on a serious knee injury last August.

The 23-year-old suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in Chelsea's first training session after the Club World Cup, significantly denting his chances of featuring in this summer's World Cup.

However, that dream may not be completely over, having recently made his long-awaited return to competitive action.

Colwill featured as a half-time substitute in the 3-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest, before he played the full duration of the recent 1-1 draw with Liverpool.

Colwill makes England preliminary squad

According to the Daily Mail, Colwill's return has come just in time to make Tuchel's preliminary squad.

While the longlist has not been made public, the report claims that Colwill is one of 55 names that were submitted to FIFA by Monday's deadline.

Colwill will at least know he is Tuchel's thought in his selection process, although it remains to be seen whether he will make the final cut.

Tuchel will officially announce his final World Cup squad on Friday, May 23, with a minimum of 23 players and a maximum of 26.

Should Colwill go to the 2026 World Cup?

Colwill faces plenty of competition for a spot in the final squad, with Tuchel also able to choose from Marc Guehi, John Stones, Harry Maguire, Ezri Konsa, Fikayo Tomori, Dan Burn and Jarell Quasah.

Those aforementioned defenders will feel hard done by if they are left out for a player who has spent the majority of the season on the sideline.

That said, Colwill is Chelsea's best defender when fit and has a claim to be one of the top centre-backs in the Premier League.

The major concern will be whether he is ready for the demands of a major tournament, where the quick turnaround between games will be a challenge.

There is a sense that Colwill's return has come too late to make a strong case to be in the final squad, and he would be better served by continuing to build his fitness over the summer and pre-season.