Serbia vs England LIVE: World Cup qualifier match stream, latest team news, lineups, TV, prediction

Three Lions expecting sternest test of Thomas Tuchel’s reign so far in Belgrade

Showdown: England last met Serbia during their opening game at Euro 2024 last summer

Bradley Collyer/PA Wire

George Flood

16 minutes ago

Serbia vs England LIVE!

England face what is expected to be their toughest test in World Cup qualifying tonight. The Three Lions head to Belgrade for a crunch Group K showdown with Serbia, hoping to produce a statement performance amid a hostile atmosphere to move a big step closer to next summer’s tournament and really give the Thomas Tuchel reign lift off after a series of underwhelming performances.

Though he has won all of his first five competitive matches in charge, England have yet to properly convince under the German, with two laboured wins over minnows Andorra sandwiching a shock friendly defeat at home by Senegal. It would be a fine riposte to Tuchel’s early critics if his side rose to the challenge tonight at the Rajko Mitic Stadium and potentially went eight points clear at the top of the group with only three qualifiers remaining.

Serbia are also unbeaten in qualifying so far after a narrow victory over Latvia and will want revenge for last summer’s defeat at Euro 2024, with the country’s FA pleading with fans to improve their behaviour with the stadium 15 per cent closed tonight after previous incidents. Follow Serbia vs England live below!

Serbia vs England latest news

13 seconds ago

England lineup

The official teamsheet has dropped and here’s how Thomas Tuchel lines up in Belgrade tonight...

England XI: Pickford, James, Konsa, Guehi, Livramento, Rice, Anderson, Madueke, Rogers, Gordon, Kane

Subs: Quansah, J Henderson, Eze, Rashford, Burn, D Henderson, Spence, Gibbs-White, Loftus-Cheek, Watkins, Bowen, Trafford

2 minutes ago

Inside the Serbian horror tunnel facing England: 'It feels a mile long’

The Rajko Mitic Stadium is perhaps best known for its 73-metre tunnel that England’s players must pass through tonight en route from the dressing rooms to the pitch.

As Standard Sport’s Dom Smith notes, its walls are full of red and white graffiti, drawn by Red Star Belgrade ultras, featuring googly eyes staring down at them.

The walk from the dressing room is 240m in total, the tunnel and the rest of the interior largely unchanged from when the stadium was built in 1963.

Red Star fans are called the ‘Delije’, the brave ones, and their stand is directly above the tunnel.

And just above? A decommissioned Yugoslav T-55 tank, on display in the stadium forecourt.

Read more here

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11 minutes ago

Stage is set

The pre-match scene is set at the Rajko Mitic Stadium, where England have never visited before.

In fact, their only previous meeting with Serbia as an independent nation came last summer in their opening group stage match at Euro 2024, when Jude Bellingham’s early header secured a nervy 1-0 victory for Gareth Southgate’s eventual beaten finalists in Gelsenkirchen.

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Bradley Collyer/PA Wire

Bradley Collyer/PA Wire

18 minutes ago

UEFA's three-step protocol on racist behaviour

We very much hope that it will not be needed tonight, but given the discussion around it in the build-up to the game, you might need a reminder on UEFA’s established three-step protocol when it comes to racist behaviour.

Per UEFA’s official website...

Step one

“If the referee becomes aware of racist behaviour, or is informed of it by the fourth official, he will stop the game.

“He will then request an announcement to be made over the public address system asking spectators to immediately stop any racist behaviour.”

Step two

“If the racist behaviour does not cease after the game has restarted, the referee will suspend the match for a reasonable period of time, for example, five to ten minutes, and request teams to go to the dressing rooms.

A further announcement is made over the public address system.”

Step three

“As a final resort, if the racist behaviour continues after a second restart, the referee can definitively abandon the match.

“The UEFA delegate responsible for the match will assist the referee, through the fourth official, in determining whether the racist behaviour has ceased.

“Any decision to abandon the match will only be taken after all other possible measures have been implemented and the impact of abandoning the match on the security of the players and public has been assessed.

“After the match, the case is referred to UEFA's disciplinary authorities.”

31 minutes ago

Kane: England players prepared to walk off if racially abused

Thomas Tuchel said he hopes tonight’s game will be “respectful”, while captain Harry Kane has insisted that England’s players are prepared to walk off the pitch if they are subjected to racist abuse.

“Yes, we had a similar situation in Bulgaria (in 2019),” Kane said at his pre-match press conference in Belgrade last night.

“UEFA have the protocols in place for us to follow. We know the steps, we know the situation.

“We're talking about something that's not happened yet.

“We'll take everything in our stride, everything as it comes. We're clear in what we want to do.

“Let's just see what happens. We're more focused on Serbia as a team and how we can hurt them.”

Tuchel said: “The people in charge of the FA talked to us, so we are aware.

“And, still, I always believe in the good, so I always believe that we will have a high-level sporting competition and celebrate the sport for what it is.

“We are aware of the protocol, but I don’t want to put a big focus on it, because I believe in the beauty of the game, that we can have a respectful match.”

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39 minutes ago

Serbian FA urge fans to behave

Here is that statement from the Football Association of Serbia (FSS), urging fans to clean up their act after repeated sanctions for fan misconduct in recent years.

The 51,755-capacity Rajko Mitic Stadium - home of Red Star Belgrade - will see its capacity reduced by 15 per cent tonight as a result of racist chanting in the game against Andorra in June.

“We appeal to supporters to send out an image to the world that will make us all proud,” the FSS wrote.

“UEFA has long ago proclaimed a list of prohibited items (signs, symbols, flags, sounds, chants, political slogans…) that are subject to sanctions and strict penalties.

“In the past five years (2021 – 2024/25), the FA of Serbia has been fined 703,375 Euros by UEFA and FIFA for various prohibited items, insults, and discrimination in the stands during the matches of the best national team and other national selections.

“This amount is only about 30,000 Euros less than the total fines for the previous 14 years, namely the period from 2006-2020.

“The national team is our pride, we have no other, and it deserves support befitting such important matches.

“We wish to emphasise the value and need for support that contributes to creating a positive atmosphere at the stadium.

“Let us be united in our love for football, support our national team in the right way, show respect for the opponent and their national anthem.

“Let the match against England be a celebration of sport and respect between rivals and nations.”

50 minutes ago

Serbia vs England prediction

It was slightly better fare from England at the weekend, which is hardly saying much given how turgid they were against Andorra and Senegal in June.

They looked more fluid at times at Villa Park, but the killer final ball was almost always lacking and more decisiveness was needed from the likes of Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze and Marcus Rashford in particular.

It was a game from which Thomas Tuchel will ultimately have learned very little, but that should not be the case in Belgrade.

While not world-beaters, and having laboured to a low-key win of their own on Saturday, Serbia are on paper the most difficult opponents in England’s group and typically strong at home as a hostile atmosphere awaits.

Perhaps facing an opponent more likely to attack them will bring the best out of a Three Lions team repeatedly frustrated by sides that pack 11 men behind the ball.

It feels like England need an impressive performance here with a bit more imagination and flair to quell the naysayers who have been less than satisfied with Tuchel’s reign so far.

But we’re predicting a cagey affair that may well be high on tension and noise levels, but ultimately low on goals, chances and quality in the final third.

Draw, 1-1.

The FA via Getty Images

53 minutes ago

Serbia team news

Serbia are not believed to be dealing with any new injury concerns, with only goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic a notable absentee as Bournemouth’s Djordje Petrovic prepares to deputise once again.

Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic scored the winner against Latvia in Riga on Saturday as he started alongside Luka Jovic, though you’d expect Aleksandar Mitrovic to return to Dragan Stojkovic’s starting XI this evening.

Serbia’s squad also includes the likes of Fulham midfielder Sasa Lukic and Nottingham Forest defender Nikola Milenkovic.

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59 minutes ago

England team news

England are without some key stars due to injury during the season’s first international break, including Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer.

John Stones withdrew from the squad before Saturday’s 2-0 win over Andorra at Villa Park with a muscle issue, following Crystal Palace midfielder Adam Wharton.

Marc Guehi is expected to be fit to play after dealing with a groin issue since the weekend.

It’s been oddly quiet in terms of pre-emptive reports on tonight’s starting XI so far, with Tottenham’s Djed Spence hoping to make his senior England debut and the likes of Ezri Konsa, Tino Livramento, Jordan Henderson, Morgan Rogers and Anthony Gordon also pushing to start.

Tuchel has a squad of 24 players and can only name 23 on a matchday, with first-time call-up Jarell Quansah the odd man out at the weekend.

But tonight it’s Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly, who started and played 90 minutes at left-back on his fourth cap against Andorra.

The FA via Getty Images

1 hour ago

How to watch Serbia vs England

TV channel: Serbia vs England will be broadcast live and free-to-air in the UK on ITV1, with coverage beginning at 7pm.

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