Rice fit to start as England face Argentina in Atlanta semi-final amid storm fears

Declan Rice has been confirmed fit to start England’s World Cup 2026 semi-final against Argentina at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, with manager Thomas Tuchel confirming the midfielder has recovered from a recent illness. “Well, yeah, he’s ready to start and as good recovered as possible,” Tuchel said with a smile when asked about Rice’s condition.

Bad storms forecast in the Atlanta area ahead of kick-off have raised concerns that both squads could face delays travelling to the ground. The Mercedes-Benz Stadium is one of only three venues at this tournament capable of air-conditioning its interior, offering some relief once play gets under way.

England defender Marc Guehi sought to shift the psychological burden firmly onto the reigning champions. “There isn’t pressure on us. What’s the pressure? The onus is on them. They’re the World Champions. They need to come out, they need to defend their title. There’s no pressure on us at all,” he said. Fellow defender Ezri Konsa added that England have not yet studied Argentina’s games, expecting to review clips in a team meeting before the match.

Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni moved to cool tensions surrounding the fixture, which carries historical weight beyond football. “It’s a football match; I can’t mix things up, out of respect for what happened so many years ago,” Scaloni said. Security concerns remain, however, with officials wary of potential clashes between supporters given the fraught history between the two nations.

Elsewhere in the tournament, FIFA is set to break the Laws of the Game at the World Cup final by extending the half-time interval to approximately 30 minutes — well beyond the 15-minute maximum permitted under the sport’s rules — to accommodate a star-studded entertainment programme featuring Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira, BTS, Burna Boy, Gustavo Dudamel, and the PS22 Chorus featuring Coldplay. The Closing Ceremony is set to include performances from Robbie Williams, Tom Cruise, and Nicole Scherzinger.

FIFA also finds itself unable to enforce its own stadium branding regulations at the Atlanta venue, having failed to cover the large Mercedes logo on the stadium roof — a breach of its own commercial rules that the governing body has been powerless to resolve.

France coach Didier Deschamps was left furious following his side’s semi-final exit to Spain, publicly questioning FIFA’s decision to appoint referee Ivan Barton for the match. The 57-year-old began to air his grievances before stopping short of completing his answer, leaving the full extent of his complaint unresolved.