Cole Palmer Omitted From England World Cup Squad as Chelsea Call for Recovery

Chelsea caretaker Calum McFarlane said the break will help Palmer recover and return to a full preseason.

Overview

Cole Palmer was left out of England’s 26-player World Cup squad on Friday, May 22, 2026, giving him his first summer off in four years.
Palmer’s season was heavily disrupted by a groin injury, a broken toe and thigh and hamstring problems that limited his range of movement and coincided with a sharp drop in goals.
Interim coach Calum McFarlane urged Palmer to treat the omission as a learning moment and said the club see the break as an opportunity for physical and mental reset.
Levi Colwill was also omitted after returning from an ACL layoff while Reece James was included despite recent hamstring trouble, and McFarlane said Colwill, James and Joao Pedro are expected to be fit for Sunday’s trip to Sunderland.
A Chelsea win at Sunderland would guarantee at least Conference League football next season and the match will be McFarlane’s final game in his current caretaker spell, making the result important for the club’s immediate plans.