England name Rice as vice-captain for 2026 World Cup

Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice will be England’s vice-captain for the World Cup

Rice has earned 72 caps for the Three Lions and will be one of the most experienced players in Thomas Tuchel’s starting line-up. The 27-year-old has just helped Arsenal win the Premier League for the first time since 2003-04 and reach the Champions League final, which they lost on penalties to Paris St-Germain last weekend.

Rice filled in as captain during Harry Kane’s absence for the October friendly against Wales, when Ollie Watkins replaced Kane in the England attack.

“I think I would say Declan is my vice-captain,” Tuchel said (via BBC Sport) after Saturday’s friendly win over New Zealand.

Asked whether Rice knows he has that role, the England manager added: “That is a good question. I was just thinking about it. Whether it is an official thing or not. But I think we had this talk when Harry was not in camp with us. We started with Ollie and I think Declan was captain. That was where I told him.”

Rice and his Arsenal team-mates Bukayo Saka, Noni Madueke and Eberechi Eze have now joined England’s training camp in the United States and began work with the group in Florida on Sunday.

Tuchel’s side have one more friendly against Costa Rica in Orlando on Wednesday and will play a behind-closed-doors game with Miami FC before travelling to their Kansas City base on Saturday. The Three Lions begin their World Cup campaign on 17 June against Croatia and also face Ghana and Panama in Group L.