England have qualified for the 2026 World Cup after a commanding 5-0 victory over Latvia in Riga, maintaining their perfect record in Group K. Thomas Tuchel's side, who have now won all six qualifiers without conceding a goal, ensured their place at next summer's tournament with two matches still to play.
Anthony Gordon opened the scoring in the 26th minute, cutting inside and curling a fine shot into the far corner after Latvia had briefly ventured forward and lost possession. Captain Harry Kane then took over, scoring twice before half-time – first with a rasping low drive from the edge of the box, then from the penalty spot after Antonijs Cernomordijs was penalised for holding him at a corner.
The second half saw further goals, with an own goal from Latvia substitute Maksims Tonisevs and a strike from Eberechi Eze, who had come off the bench. England's defence remained solid, with Jordan Pickford keeping his ninth consecutive clean sheet for his country, extending his own England record.
The match was played at a small stadium in Riga, where only the lower tier of the main stand had a roof and tall trees lined one side of the ground. The travelling England fans made their feelings known to Tuchel, who had criticised the Wembley crowd for being too quiet in the previous friendly against Wales. Chants included 'Thomas Tuchel, we'll sing when we want' and 'Are we loud enough for you?', though Tuchel responded with a wave and later said he appreciates the English sense of humour.
Latvia, ranked 137th in the world, offered little threat and have now won only two qualifiers in two years. England's performance was described as serene and commanding, with Tuchel's team showing increasing assurance as the campaign progresses.
