Czechia and England both sit on zero points at the bottom of UEFA Nations League Group A3 after opening defeats, setting up a crucial clash at the sold-out Fortuna Arena in Prague today. Kick-off is 8:45 p.m. local time (7:45 p.m. BST / 2:45 p.m. ET). Santi Denia’s side fell 2-1 at home to Croatia in his first game as the first non-Czech manager to lead the national team, while Thomas Tuchel’s England blew a lead in a 3-2 defeat to world champions Spain.
Czechia vs England Today: Team News and Injury Updates
Czechia are severely depleted, and not just from injuries. Patrik Schick has walked away from the national team altogether, and Vladimír Daríd, Tomáš Holeš, Jaroslav Zelený and Václav Černý all retired after the World Cup, leaving Denia with just two recognized strikers and three uncapped debutants in his squad. On top of that, a long list of pre-camp withdrawals included David Zíma, David Jurásek, Matěj Ryneš, Tomáš Vlček, Lukáš Provod, Denis Višinský and Tomáš Chorý. Ladislav Krejčí missed the opener with a calf problem, and goalscorer Adam Karabec was forced off in the second half with an unspecified issue, leaving his availability in doubt. Tomáš Souček remains out with an ankle ligament injury from the World Cup. Newcastle’s Lukáš Horníček is expected to start in goal, with former West Ham full-back Vladimír Coufal set to captain the side.
England have a fresh, confirmed injury blow of their own: Nico O’Reilly has now been officially ruled out after missing training with a fitness issue, ending his run of 13 caps without missing a squad. Lewis Hall is set to come in at left-back. Ezri Konsa is also a doubt after sitting out Monday’s session, with Trevoh Chalobah, Jarrad Branthwaite and Jarell Quansah all options if he’s unavailable. Trent Alexander-Arnold was an unused substitute against Spain and is strongly tipped to start at right-back. Several other big names, including Declan Rice, Cole Palmer, Marcus Rashford, Kobbie Mainoo and Tino Livramento, withdrew from the original squad before this window. In goal, Tuchel has confirmed Leeds’ James Trafford will start for a second straight game as part of an extended audition, with Jordan Pickford now expected to return for the following two matches instead. Harry Kane leads the line, with Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon forming the attacking threat as Tuchel seeks an immediate response.
Prediction: Can England Bounce Back in Prague?
History favors England here. The Three Lions are unbeaten in four of their last five meetings with Czechia, with two wins and two draws; Czechia’s only win in the fixture came in Prague back in October 2019. England’s defensive frailties have been exposed in recent matches, but they face a Czech side heavily disrupted by retirements and absences and still adapting to a new coach’s methods. England have the superior quality and firepower, particularly in attack, and should dominate possession against limited opposition. A professional, controlled performance is expected. Prediction: Czechia 0-3 England.
Predicted Lineups for Czechia vs England
Czechia (possible): Horníček; Coufal, Hraňáč, Chaloupek, Sláma; Sadílek, Červ; Ambroš, Šulc, Radosta; Hložek
England (possible): Trafford; Alexander-Arnold, Konsa, Guéhi, Hall; Lewis-Skelly, Anderson; Saka, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane
These are projected starting XIs. The confirmed lineups will be updated right here when released around one hour before kick-off.
How to Watch –
| Region | Channel |
|---|---|
| USA | fuboTV (English), ViX (Spanish) |
| UK | ITV-1 |
| Canada | DAZN |
| Australia | beIN Sports 3 |
| Czechia | ČT Sport |
Czechia vs England Today: Lineups, Team News, Prediction & How To Watch