England have received a significant boost ahead of their FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-final against Argentina, with midfielder Declan Rice declared fit and available for selection after recovering from the illness that had disrupted his preparations during the knockout stages.
According to Sky Sports, the Arsenal star has fully recovered from a stomach bug and is expected to start when England face defending champions Argentina in Atlanta on Wednesday (local time).
The Three Lions are chasing a place in only their second FIFA World Cup final and their first since winning the tournament on home soil in 1966.
Rice Battled Illness Before Quarter-final
Rice’s fitness had been a major concern after he fell ill following England’s Round of 16 victory in Mexico City.
England manager Thomas Tuchel revealed that the midfielder spent three days confined to bed ahead of the quarter-final against Norway because of the stomach illness.
The challenging weather conditions in Miami further complicated matters, with extreme heat and humidity creating conditions equivalent to 44°C, forcing England’s medical staff to carefully manage Rice’s workload.
As a precaution, the Football Association’s medical team recommended that he play only 45 minutes during England’s extra-time victory over Norway.
Tuchel Explains Why Rice Was Substituted
Although Rice wanted to continue playing, Tuchel opted to substitute him at half-time to avoid risking the midfielder’s fitness during extra time.
Speaking after the match, Tuchel explained the decision.
“We knew that Declan was struggling. He gave a green light to continue maybe until the next water break, but then I thought if we go 120 and I don’t have Elliot [Anderson] on the field, we will get into trouble with substitutions later.”
The England manager added:
“So we took a hard decision and took Declan off then, which paid off because Elliot could play the full 120, otherwise we would have been in trouble.”
The tactical substitution ultimately proved effective as England secured victory and booked their place in the semi-finals.
Midfielder Returns to Full Training
Rice has now made a complete recovery and participated fully in England’s training session in Kansas City on Monday.
The session marked England’s first full training workout since defeating Norway, with previous recovery sessions having been conducted behind closed doors.
His return provides Tuchel with one of his most influential midfielders ahead of a high-stakes encounter against Lionel Messi’s Argentina.
England Eye Historic World Cup Final
England will face Argentina in one of the biggest matches of the tournament, with a place in the FIFA World Cup final at stake.
The Three Lions are hoping to reach their first World Cup final in 60 years, while Argentina are aiming to defend the title they won in Qatar in 2022.
With Rice back to full fitness, England will head into the semi-final with renewed confidence as they prepare for another chapter in one of international football’s most storied rivalries.