England will host Uruguay and Japan in friendly matches at Wembley Stadium next March in preparation for the 2026 World Cup, the Football Association announced on Wednesday.

The exhibition encounters will be the last opportunity for England manager Thomas Tuchel to assess his squad before finalising his selection for the tournament in May.

After last week’s draw did not pair England with Asian or South American teams, Tuchel suggested it might be preferable to find different opponents for March.

Nevertheless, the fixtures have been confirmed, with England set to face 16th-ranked Uruguay on March 27, followed by a clash with 18th-ranked Japan three days later.

“We are really pleased to have these two fixtures confirmed as our World Cup year takes shape," Tuchel said in a statement.

“We

See Full Page