Bukayo Saka and Marcus Rashford are pushing for starts in England’s World Cup 2026 clash with Panama today, as Declan Rice allayed fitness fears ahead of the Group L decider. The Three Lions need to seal top spot after a stalemate against Ghana in their previous match, a result that left Gareth Southgate’s side searching for rhythm.
Saka and Rashford have been pressing for places in the starting XI, offering attacking options against a Panama side that has evolved significantly since their 6-1 thrashing by England in 2018. That drubbing, which laid the foundations for Southgate’s progress, has inspired a new era for Los Canaleros, who now pose a more serious threat.
“England seek top spot against Panama as Saka and Rashford push for starts and Rice allays fitness fears.”
Off the pitch, the celebrated satirist Cold War Steve has released the third in a special series of World Cup 2026-themed collages for the Guardian. Titled “Cold War Steve on … England’s haunted team-building barbecue”, the artwork lampoons the squad’s off-field preparations, blending surreal imagery with the grim reality of tournament pressure.
Rice, a key midfielder, has eased concerns over his fitness ahead of the match, while Southgate must decide whether to stick with the lineup that drew with Ghana or inject the pace of Saka and Rashford. Panama, meanwhile, will be buoyed by their own progress and the memory of that 2018 defeat that sparked their transformation.
The match kicks off this afternoon with England knowing a win guarantees progress as group winners, while a stumble could complicate their path in the knockout stages. Cold War Steve’s collage, with its macabre humour, captures the strange mood around a team haunted by past failures but still expected to deliver.