Thomas Tuchel hired as England football head coach ahead of 2026 World Cup

Thomas Tuchel was hired as England coach on Wednesday and will take on the challenge of ending the national team's decades-long wait for a trophy.

The German, who previously managed Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich, will begin his tenure in January ahead of the 2026 World Cup in the United States.

The English Football Association said Tuchel had been identified as the "preferred candidate" after what it described as an extensive search to replace Gareth Southgate, who stepped down after the European Championship in July.

Tuchel won major trophies in Germany, France and England and is England's third foreign coach, after the late Sven-Goran Eriksson and Fabio Capello. He succeeds one of England's most successful coaches in Southgate, who led the country to back-to-back European Championship finals and a World Cup semifinals.

Southgate stepped down after eight years following defeat to Spain in the final of Euro 2024.

The FA said it had interviewed several candidates .