India, June 24 -- England will assess the fitness of Reece James and Declan Rice before their final FIFA World Cup 2026 group-stage match against Panama, handing manager Thomas Tuchel a selection concern at a crucial stage of the tournament.

Rice limped out of the Boston Stadium after England's goalless draw against Ghana on Tuesday with heavy strapping on his left calf. While there is understood to be no major long-term concern over the injury, the issue still requires assessment and rest before a decision is made on whether he can be involved against Panama on Saturday.

The situation is particularly important because Rice has already been managing a separate physical problem during the tournament. The Arsenal midfielder was taken off ...