England will be without their captain, Harry Kane, for Thursday's friendly match against Wales at Wembley Stadium. The Three Lions are set to face their neighbors in a sold-out match on October 9, 2025, but Kane will be sidelined due to a knock he sustained while playing for Bayern Munich.
Kane picked up the injury during Bayern Munich's 3-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt last weekend. He was replaced in the 85th minute of the game, initially sparking concerns about his availability for international duty. While Kane initially downplayed the injury, expressing hope that he would be "fine" for the England games, it has since been confirmed that he is unable to play.
Bayern Munich's coach, Thomas Tuchel, confirmed that Kane would miss the game against Wales, stating that the striker was experiencing pain when kicking the ball. Tuchel explained that it was too risky for Kane to play, as another knock could aggravate the injury. The decision was made to allow the injury to calm down, with the expectation that Kane will be fit for the World Cup qualifier against Latvia on Tuesday.
With Kane unavailable, Tuchel will need to choose a new captain for the friendly against Wales. Potential candidates include Jordan Henderson, John Stones, and Declan Rice, all of whom have experience and leadership qualities. Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa is likely to deputize as England's center-forward in Kane's absence.
England manager Thomas Tuchel said, "Harry will miss the game. He got a kick in his last match with Bayern Munich. It was too painful to kick a ball, it was too risky that he gets another kick and will just like be in an up and down situation pain-wise, so we gave him the chance that everything calms down. We are convinced that he will be ready for the match against Latvia".
The match against Wales is scheduled to kick off at 7:45 PM BST on Thursday, October 9, 2025. While billed as a friendly, the game is expected to be competitive, with both teams eager to claim bragging rights. England has dominated recent encounters, winning the last seven matches against Wales. Their most recent victory was a 3-0 win in the 2022 World Cup.
The Three Lions are in a strong position in their World Cup qualification campaign, having won all five of their matches in Group K. Meanwhile, Wales is aiming to secure a spot at the World Cup as well, currently sitting third in their group.
The England vs. Wales match will be broadcast live on ITV1 in the UK, with coverage beginning at 7:00 PM BST. A live stream will also be available on ITVX.
