Is Declan Rice playing today for England against DR Congo at FIFA World Cup 2026?

Declan Rice missed Panama vs England, but is he set to play tonight in his country’s FIFA World Cup Round of 32 clash against DR Congo?

The showdown is set to take place at Atlanta Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

Declan Rice is set to play for England against DR Congo

Blessed with tremendous skills, Declan Rice has become an integral part of the England team, and therefore, it’s incredibly important that he is available to play during the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The Arsenal star came off against Croatia with a hamstring injury, and was later rested against Panama. However, according to Sami Mokbel of the BBC, the midfielder is expected to start later today.

During a pre-match press conference, Rice tried to put the fears of anyone doubting his fitness to rest, saying: “I know there’s been one [problem] over my hamstring, which has been an issue, but that’s not a problem because I’m still here training, I’m playing. I’m fine.

“I got a dead calf in the last minute of the Ghana game. The guy whacked me, and it literally blew up for three days, so that was just unlucky. It wasn’t actually a calf problem. I’m managing myself really well. I feel good, fit and strong.”

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Elaborating on his hamstring problem, the Englishman explained: “I think [the flareup] was a bit of a shock to the system just because I played the Champions League final, had a week completely off-feet, where I did nothing, and then got myself back into a rhythm again. The body had a little bit of a shock.

“That’s why I started to feel the pain a little bit, because towards the end [of the season] it was starting to ease off. It’s just something I’ve got to keep managing. Once this season’s done, I’ll get my rest, and I’m sure next season I’ll go into it fine.”