England 2026 World Cup news: Reece James and Jarell Quansah to miss last-32 clash vs DR Congo with injury

30.06.2026, 19:57 skysports.com

Reece James and Jarell Quansah have been ruled out of England's World Cup last-32 game against DR Congo in Atlanta on Wednesday.

Quansah twisted his ankle in the final group-stage win over Panama on Saturday, while James has a hamstring injury.

The pair were the only England players to miss training ahead of the knockout clash with DR Congo, with versatile Tottenham full-back Djed Spence now set to get the nod to fill in at right-back.

Spence played the last 10 minutes of England's opening group win against Croatia, but as a left-back - where he was mainly used at Spurs last season - then 66 minutes of the goalless draw with Ghana, again on the left-hand side of the defence, before replacing Quansah at right-back in the 63rd minute of the 2-0 victory over Panama.

The right-back position is a big concern for manager Thomas Tuchel after Newcastle's Tino Livramento pulled out of the squad shortly before the tournament with a calf issue, to be replaced by Chelsea centre-back Trevoh Chalobah.

Other than the injured duo of James and Quansah, though, the rest of England's 26-man squad all trained on Tuesday.

Sky Sports News senior reporter Rob Dorsett at England's training base in Kansas City:

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"Tino Livramento went home before he'd even kicked a ball in the tournament. He was replaced by Nat [Trevoh] Chalobah, who's out there as a centre-back, and Jarell Quansah switched across to right-back.

"Quansah is now injured after picking up a twisted ankle, which looked nasty, didn't it, in that game against Panama, the last group game. And Reece James, we told you about, had a hamstring injury, which is going to go well into the tournament. He's not out there training.

"So 24 of the 26 England players are out there training. We're lacking a right-back. You have to expect that it'll be Djed Spence who comes in for Quansah at right-back, with Nico O'Reilly keeping his place at left-back"

Sky Sports' Rich Morgan:

Right-back has suddenly become a problem position for Tuchel after he lost first James with a hamstring injury following the draw with Ghana and then Jarell Quansah - who came in for the Chelsea man against Panama - with a badly-twisted ankle in that final group game. Both will miss the DR Congo game.

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So the England boss is now down to just Djed Spence, possibly Trevoh Chalobah - called up after the injury curse first struck to rule out Tino Livramento with a calf issue during the build-up to the tournament - and in a real emergency, versatile centre-back Ezri Konsa.

Spence played the last 10 minutes of the opening win against Croatia, but as a left-back - where he was mainly used at Tottenham last season - then 66 minutes of the goalless draw with Ghana, again on the left-hand side of the defence, before being rested and not starting the game on Saturday.

Gary Neville believes Tuchel was protecting the player, with so few other options for the role.

"Tuchel has got Spence, who he rested the other day," the former England right-back told Sky Sports. "I hope that's because he needs to play the rest of the games. But we are very thin on the ground."

And with Konsa likely to start in the centre of defence and Chalobah yet to have any game time at the tournament, Spence - who has impressed when he has been called upon in the warm-ups and group contests - should be the man entrusted with the role on Wednesday.