Tuchel retains FA backing despite England World Cup exit

England head coach Thomas Tuchel retains the full backing of the Football Association despite the men's team missing out on a first World Cup final appearance since 1966. A 2-1 defeat by Argentina on Wednesday ended England's campaign at the semi-final stage, but Tuchel is expected to lead the team into the 2028 European Championship, which will be hosted by England, Wales, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland.

Tuchel's commitment and FA support

Tuchel faced criticism for his substitutions as England squandered a 1-0 lead late in the match, but he has stated his intention to stay on. “We keep on going with the contract until the home Euros,” Tuchel said. “I'm looking forward to that even though right now it's difficult to look that far ahead.”

FA chief executive Mark Bullingham confirmed the organization's support. “The players and Thomas gave it everything today and the squad, coaches and staff could not have worked harder during the tournament,” Bullingham said. “I would like to thank them all – and also give my heartfelt thanks to our wonderful fans here in the USA and at home.”

Contract and tournament context

Tuchel signed a two-year contract extension in February, having been appointed in January 2025 on an 18-month mission to win the World Cup. Despite the semi-final defeat, England's progress will be viewed internally as a relative success. “A lot of big football nations are eliminated before the semi-final, so it is an achievement,” Tuchel noted. “No-one wants to hear that at the moment; me neither because we demand the most of ourselves. That's just the nature of being competitive.”

Upcoming bronze-medal match

England will face France in the bronze-medal match on Saturday at 22:00 BST. Victory would mean this is England's best performance in a men's World Cup since 1966. “It is heartbreaking to be so close,” Bullingham added.