Newcastle defender Tino Livramento has withdrawn from England’s 2026 World Cup squad and been replaced by Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah, just one day before the Three Lions take on Croatia in their first Group L game.

Livramento ruled out on eve of opener

Livramento, who has suffered a hamstring injury, likely would not have started ahead of either Reece James at right back or Nico O’Reilly on the opposite side of the defense, although his versatility would have been a valuable asset for Thomas Tuchel to have on his roster.

Unlike Livramento, Chalobah is a central defender first and foremost, with Tuchel adjusting the makeup of his squad for the tournament at the 11th hour.

World Cup rules on roster changes

FIFA rules state that coaches can replace one injured player up to 24 hours before kickoff in their first game of the tournament.

Should a player suffer an injury after that point, no replacement can be called and the roster will be a man down.

Those rules only apply to injured outfield players, however. Injured goalkeepers can be replaced at any time during the tournament.

World Cup 2026 absentees

Brazilian trio Rodrygo, Eder Militão and Estevão, France’s Hugo Ekitike, Dutch duo Xavi Simons and Matthijs de Ligt, Germany’s Serge Gnabry and Fermín Lopez of Spain are among the big names missing the World Cup through injury.

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.