Thomas Tuchel hired as England head coach ahead of 2026 World Cup

LONDON (AP) — Thomas Tuchel was hired as England coach on Wednesday and will take on the challenge of ending the national team’s decades-long wait for a trophy.

The German, who previously managed Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich, will begin his tenure in January ahead of the 2026 World Cup in the United States.

“We are thrilled to have hired Thomas Tuchel, one of the best coaches in the world,” English Football Association CEO Mark Bullingham said in a statement.

Tuchel has won major trophies across Europe and is England's third foreign coach, after the late Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello.

“I have long felt a personal connection to the game in this country, and it has given me some incredible moments already,” Tuchel said. “To have the chance to represent England is a huge privilege, and the opportunity to work with this special and talented group of players is very exciting.”

The 51-year-old Tuchel succeeds one of England’s most successful coaches in Southgate, who led the country to back-to-back European Championship finals and a World Cup semifinals.

Southgate stepped down after eight years following defeat to Spain in the final of Euro 2024 in July. England’s only major trophy was the World Cup in 1966.

The FA said it had interviewed several candidates before deciding on Tuchel. It said Tuchel had signed his contract last week but the announcement was delayed until after recent Nations League games against Greece and Finland.

Tuchel fits the FA’s remit of hiring a coach who has delivered at the highest level and also knows the English game.

As manager of Chelsea, Tuchel beat Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City to win the Champions League within months of taking the job. He also won the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup with the Premier League club.

He has won league titles with PSG in France and Bayern in Germany. He takes on the England job after leaving Bayern at the end of last season.

Tuchel will be joined by his former Chelsea assistant Anthony Barry, who most recently worked with Portugal at the Euros.

“Fundamentally we wanted to hire a coaching team to give us the best possible chance of winning a major tournament, and we believe they will do just that,” Bullingham said. “Thomas and the team have a single-minded focus on giving us the best possible chance to win the World Cup in 2026.”

Tuchel will take up his role after the draw for the World Cup qualifying groups in December.

Under 21s coach Lee Carsley will remain in charge of England as interim coach for the Nations League games against Greece and Ireland next month.

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James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer