It’s been nearly 60 years since England last lifted the FIFA World Cup in 1966, but the Three Lions fans enter every World Cup believing this could finally be the year, with the familiar chant of “It’s coming home”. This time, the noise has reached America.
As England prepares for another shot at ending their long wait under Thomas Tuchel, FOX Sports analyst Nick Wright is not very optimistic and believes history could repeat itself.
Why Nick Wright Is Fading England at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Speaking on “First Things First” on FOX, Wright revealed that England is one of the teams he is least convinced by among the tournament favorites.
“This is the other team I’m lower on than the Vegas odds. England,” Wright said, giving them only a 6% chance of winning the title — slightly higher than the 3% he gave for the USA.
While England is ranked fourth in the FIFA rankings as of June 2026 and boasts stars such as Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, Wright believes two main factors could derail its title hopes.
“You know why I don’t believe in England? Two reasons. Their history in the World Cup and the heat,” Wright said, before also raising questions about the team’s two biggest stars. “Now, I do believe in Harry Kane, but he’s a little banged up, and how will they use Jude Bellingham? Big question.”
In recent years, the Three Lions have reached the semifinals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup and the quarterfinals in 2022. In the campaigns before that, England’s much-hyped “Golden Generation” never really fulfilled the promise, always falling short when it mattered the most.
During the last World Cup held in the United States in 1994, England did not even qualify.
As for Kane, he is England’s captain, their all-time leading scorer, the talisman, and a striker who’s in the form of his life.
He netted 61 goals and seven assists for Bayern Munich during the 2025-26 season. However, after a demanding club campaign, there are concerns over how much the 32-year-old has left in his tank for a World Cup.
Meanwhile, Bellingham is one of the world’s best midfielders, but England’s abundance of attacking options means Tuchel must still decide the best way to use the Real Madrid star in his system.
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Those are issues England can control. The other factor Wright highlighted — the weather — is not.
“They’re already nervous about the heat,” Wright added. “They’re used to foggy, dreary weather. They’re about to be scorching.”
England’s preparations have already been impacted by the North American climate. The squad was recently forced indoors in Kansas City during a tornado warning while training in the intense summer heat.
Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice even revealed that he received a telling-off from his mother after appearing noticeably sunburnt in pre-World Cup photoshoots.
“I think everyone’s seen them photos,” Rice said. “I was bright red at that photoshoot, my mum was killing me.”
“The first day was tough, just getting used to that heat,” Rice added. “When you come from England, and it’s hot, cold, all different types of weather, then you come here, and it’s 30 degree Celsius, and it really does hit you in the face when you’re running.”
England will begin their World Cup campaign against Croatia before facing Ghana and Panama in Group L. On paper, the Three Lions should have enough quality to advance comfortably, but Wright appears to believe that by July, England fans could be explaining why the trophy is not coming home once again.
