All the info ahead of Southgate’s selection

There’s only a month to go now before the World Cup kicks off and the excitement is really starting to ramp up.

England are a 14/1 shot to go all the way in Russia. But who’ll make it into Gareth Southgate’s squad?

He’s got some tricky decisions to make. And the Coral News Team have got all the key dates and info…

How many players can be in the squad?

Teams are allowed to name a provisional squad of up to 35 players, which must then be whittled down to 23 for the tournament. There have to be at least three goalkeepers in the final squad.

When will England announce their squad?

FIFA have set a deadline of June 4th for the final squads to be submitted. But Southgate is making his call early. He’ll submit his provisional squad on Monday 14th May, before announcing who’ll be on the plane on Wednesday 16th May.

He’s also expected to name five players on standby to cover for any withdrawals.

What if someone gets injured before the tournament?

Teams can bring in a replacement for an injured player up to 24 hours before their first game of the tournament. After that deadline passes, they’ll have to make do with what they have.

Who do England face in the run-up to Russia?

The Three Lions will prepare with a friendly against Nigeria at Wembley on June 2nd and then Costa Rica at Elland Road on June 7th.