Kane says England ready to walk off in Belgrade as Tuchel makes four changes for Serbia qualifier

England captain Harry Kane said the Three Lions were prepared to walk off the pitch if circumstances demanded as the team arrived in Belgrade for a decisive World Cup 2026 qualifying match against Serbia at the Rajko Mitić Stadium.

Manager Thomas Tuchel made four changes to his starting line-up for the Group K fixture, handing a start to Morgan Rogers in place of Eberechi Eze and bringing Anthony Gordon, Ezri Konsa and Tino Livramento into the side. Marcus Rashford and Dan Burn were named among the substitutes, while Myles Lewis-Skelly did not make the squad.

Tuchel said ahead of the match that his priority was to prepare the side to "win" and to produce a "top performance" in a hostile, emotional sporting environment. "We are here to win. This is why we are here," he said. "We will never be arrogant and disrespectful. The result is hard to control, we want a good performance and a top performance to reach our goal. It is a privilege to be England manager and I can assure I will do everything to be successful."

The fixture carries significant qualification implications. England enter the game unbeaten in Group K with four wins from four and sit above Serbia in the standings. A victory in Belgrade would move Thomas Tuchel's side markedly closer to securing automatic entry to next summer's tournament in the Americas.

England scraped past Andorra in their most recent qualifier, a match that produced an own goal and a Declan Rice header but little entertainment. Journalists Oliver Holt and Craig Hope were among those reporting from the ground in Belgrade, where capacity has been reduced for the fixture but organisers and teams still expect a charged atmosphere.

Kane's public warning about walking off the pitch underlined persistent concerns around player safety and crowd behaviour at high-stakes international fixtures. He did not elaborate on the precise triggers that would prompt such action in pre-match comments, but England have increasingly emphasised player welfare in recent away matches.

Tuchel described the match as a difficult away test in a "traditional stadium" and said the occasion could bring the best out of his players. "We prepare for everything, we are in a very emotional sporting country — they have world class sportsmen, amazing talents in football — and will have quality," he said.

Serbia are viewed as England's primary challengers in Group K, and the hosts will be seeking a result to keep their qualification hopes alive. The match is expected to be fiercely contested amid the backdrop of strong national interest and the rivalry between the two sides.

Team news released before kick-off indicated Tuchel had reshuffled his midfield and defence as he looks to manage form and fitness across a busy international calendar. Supporters and broadcasters were watching closely given both the stakes for World Cup qualification and the public remarks from England's captain about potential in-game action.