England have secured their place at the 2026 World Cup, set to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, after a dominant 5-0 victory over Latvia. The Three Lions' convincing win in Riga on Tuesday marked their sixth consecutive victory in Group K of the European Qualifiers, ensuring their participation in next summer's tournament.

England's qualification makes them the first European nation to confirm their spot at the 2026 World Cup. With two matches remaining, they hold a commanding lead in their group, allowing manager Thomas Tuchel the opportunity to experiment with different players and strategies in the upcoming November camp.

The victory over Latvia was comprehensive, with goals from Anthony Gordon, a brace from Harry Kane, an own goal from Maksims Tonisevs, and a late strike from Eberechi Eze. John Stones played a key role in the opening goal, providing a long-range pass that found Gordon, who skillfully cut inside and curled the ball into the net. Kane then scored twice before halftime, further solidifying England's lead. His two goals took his England tally to 76, and marked the 13th time he has scored more than one goal in a match for England, surpassing Nat Lofthouse's previous record.

England maintained a clean sheet, their sixth in six qualifying matches, extending goalkeeper Jordan Pickford's record of consecutive clean sheets for England.

The match took place in a stadium that provided a "back-to-the-future" atmosphere, with a running track surrounding the pitch and tall trees lining one side of the ground. Despite the somewhat unconventional setting, the travelling England fans made their presence known, particularly in response to Tuchel's earlier criticism of the Wembley crowd.

Tuchel has overseen seven wins in his eight matches in charge, and the team is yet to concede a goal in competitive fixtures.