England to take on Uruguay and Japan in March as they gear up for World Cup

England will step up their preparations for the World Cup with March friendlies against Uruguay and Japan.

The South American side will visit Wembley on March 27, with the clash against Japan coming four days later.

The double-header will be the last time Thomas Tuchel’s side play on home soil before they bid for glory at next summer’s World Cup in North America.

The games have been in the books for some time, but the Football Association waited until after last week’s World Cup draw before confirming them.

They will provide a good test for Tuchel’s side, with the opposition a step up in quality after England breezed through qualification with a 100 per cent record.

Uruguay are ranked 16th and Japan 18th and both countries are also going to the World Cup.

The games will be the last chance for players to impress Tuchel before he confirms his squad for the finals in May.

England are then expected to play two friendlies in the United States before heading into camp.

Tuchel said: “We are really pleased to have these two fixtures confirmed as our World Cup year takes shape.

“We wanted to play two teams ranked in the top 20 in the world, but also to test ourselves against opponents from outside of Europe.

“After Friday’s draw, the excitement for next year is really building and we can’t wait to see our fans again at Wembley.”

England will play Croatia, Ghana and Panama in Group L at the World Cup.