Tuchel makes four changes as England brace for hostile Belgrade tie amid race-abuse protocols

England manager Thomas Tuchel made four changes to his starting XI as the Three Lions prepared to face Serbia in a crucial World Cup qualifying match in Belgrade, and the squad reiterated that it would follow UEFA protocols — including the option to abandon the match — if players are subjected to racist abuse.

The match at the Rajko Mitic Stadium on Tuesday carried heightened attention because of disciplinary measures against the Serbian Football Association. UEFA ordered a 15 percent reduction in stadium capacity after incidents of racist abuse by supporters during a June fixture, and the Serbian FA issued an appeal to fans to behave and avoid prohibited items and chants.

Tuchel made four changes from the side that beat Andorra at Villa Park, naming Morgan Rogers in midfield in place of Eberechi Eze and bringing Anthony Gordon, Ezri Konsa and Tino Livramento into the starting lineup. Marcus Rashford and Dan Burn were named among the substitutes, while Myles Lewis-Skelly was not included in the matchday squad.

Speaking on the eve of the fixture, Tuchel said the occasion would bring out the best in his players and underlined his focus on performance. "We are here to win," he said. "This is why we are here. 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."

Captain Harry Kane reiterated the team's understanding of UEFA's anti-discrimination protocol and said the players had been briefed on the steps to take if abuse occurred. "We learned the protocols from UEFA and what the kind of rules are if something does happen, what the players should do if something happens," Kane said. On whether the team would walk off the pitch if targeted, he added: "Well, yeah, that's part of the UEFA protocol, so, yeah, we'll decide that then and there. Obviously, the ref will have a big part to play in that as well."

The encounter carried significant weight for Group K qualification. England entered the fixture unbeaten in qualifying after four wins from four matches and led the group ahead of Serbia. A positive result in Belgrade would put England in a stronger position to secure automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

The Rajko Mitic Stadium is notable for its intimidating atmosphere and a 73-metre concrete tunnel that players must pass through to reach the pitch — a feature often cited by visiting teams as challenging. England staff and players arrived at the ground and inspected the surroundings ahead of kick-off, mindful of both the sporting and security dimensions of the fixture.

UEFA's previous sanctions against the Serbian FA followed reported discriminatory chanting and behaviour during June's national-team match against Andorra. The governing body lists a wide range of prohibited items and conduct, and the Serbian FA's public statement ahead of Tuesday's game urged supporters to "send out an image to the world that will make us all proud" and to refrain from banned symbols, flags, chants and political slogans.

England's recent qualifying win over Andorra was settled by an own goal and a header from Declan Rice, maintaining their momentum in a run of competitive matches that manager and players have stressed are the focus ahead of the World Cup. Tuchel acknowledged the scrutiny that comes with the role and said his team had prepared for many eventualities, including the charged atmosphere they would face in Belgrade.

Match officials, security personnel and the two federations were expected to monitor the crowd closely and to apply UEFA's procedures should incidents occur. England's combination of tactical changes and the reminder of established protocols underlined the dual priorities of pursuing a qualifying win while protecting players from discriminatory conduct.

Kickoff at the Rajko Mitic Stadium brought together the sporting stakes and a strict disciplinary backdrop that has kept fan behaviour under close scrutiny. The outcome on the pitch would have immediate consequences for both teams' qualifying campaigns, while off-field conduct remained under the watch of UEFA and the national associations.