England Euro 2016 squad announcement - as it happened

IBTimes UK sport editor Nick Howson, who is at Wembley for us today, will be holding a live Facebook Q&A on Hodgson's squad selection from 1.30pm BST this afternoon. Make sure to get your questions in.

The England boss has also been keen to stress that Rashford, while deserving of his selection as part of an initial 26, will find it hard to usurp the likes of Kane, Sturridge and Vardy...

He's one of the contenders, of course. The competition for him is quite strong. He'll understand that as well. I think he deserves to be selected, certainly in this larger squad. It'll be interesting to see what he can do, albeit we might only have a chance to see that for one week before I have to name the final 23 with the cup final.

But I'm pleased that with someone that's had such an outstanding end to the season... A young player, a player who I think has obviously got a future if he can continue to develop as he's developed so far. It's great to be able to include him and then there's no reason if he does exceptionally well why he couldn't knock someone off their perch.

But I must make it clear that will be harder than some people would expect because people who've played over the last two years and have done a very good job for us in helping us to qualify, they are not going to be easy to knock off their perch.

Here's more from Hodgson on his decision to pick Townsend instead of Walcott...

Well it's a decision. They're both good players. They're very different players. They play in wide positions both of them, but they're not similar players. Andros was unlucky I think to lose his place in the squad when he wasn't getting a regular game in the team. But since he's gone to Newcastle, he's not only got a regular game he's actually done very well there.

Theo unfortunately over the last few months has not got such a regular game and has had a few problems with injury. It's a tough decision of course, but it's a decision you have to take.

So who else has been unlucky to miss out aside from Jagielka and Walcott? Some will undoubtedly feel that veteran striker Jermain Defoe may have been worthy of one final international hurrah after scoring 18 goals in all competitions for Sunderland this season.

Everton left-back Leighton Baines has certainly fallen behind Bertrand and Danny Rose in the pecking order these days, but West Ham's Aaron Cresswell is regarded by many as one of the best in the country at that position. Teammates Michail Antonio, Mark Noble and Andy Carroll could also have been in contention.

Presuming that the defence is set in stone and that three of Delph/Drinkwater/Townsend/Rashford will be left out, England do appear worryingly light in terms of viable centre-half options.

Hodgson has obviously picked three in the knowledge that Eric Dier, who has been transformed into a highly-effective holding midfielder at Tottenham under Pochettino, can revert to his natural position if required. Bertrand has also played as a left-sided centre-back in the past, although many will be concerned that a player as short of form as 21-year-old John Stones will be relied upon in the event that either Gary Cahill or Chris Smalling sustain an injury.

Jagielka has actually been better than Stones this season in a much-maligned Everton defence that struggled badly under former manager Roberto Martinez, but his advancing years have clearly worked against him in this instance.

Hodgson has also stated that the fitness of both Wilshere and Henderson will be further assessed during the warm-up friendlies. He believes he is under "no pressure" to play Rooney.

Walcott has already taken to social media in reaction to the news that he will not be travelling to the Euros...

"I am of course disappointed not to make the squad, but I have spoken with Roy and respect his decision," he said on Twitter. "I wish Roy and all the team the best of luck for a successful Euros."

Speaking in his broadcast press conference, Hodgson has confirmed that he aims to settle his final 23-man squad after England's friendly against Australia at the Stadium of Light on 27 May. They play Turkey at the Etihad five days prior.

He further describes the decision to leave out Walcott as "tough" and reveals that Jagielka's omission is due to his desire to drop from eight defenders down to seven.

So Hodgson has opted to name a 26-man squad that will have to be cut by three before the 31 May deadline. Experienced Everton skipper Phil Jagielka, who has been suffering with hamstring problems over recent weeks, and Walcott are the most notable omissions.

Wilshere and Townsend are both selected, as is Danny Drinkwater. The title-winning Leicester midfielder was handed his senior international debut during a 2-1 home defeat to the Netherlands in March.

Manchester City's Fabian Delph has also been added to the mix. The inclusion of Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford will make headlines, particularly given that he has only made one appearance for the England U20s, but it had already been widely anticipated that he would be invited to train with the rest of the squad ahead of the tournament.

Whether he makes the final selection as one of five strikers surely must remain in doubt.

Forwards: Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Wayne Rooney, Daniel Sturridge, Jamie Vardy

Midfielders: Dele Alli, Ross Barkley, Fabian Delph, Eric Dier, Danny Drinkwater, Jordan Henderson, Adam Lallana, James Milner, Raheem Sterling, Andros Townsend, Jack Wilshere

Defenders: Ryan Bertrand, Gary Cahill, Nathaniel Clyne, Danny Rose, Chris Smalling, John Stones, Kyle Walker

Goalkeepers: Fraser Forster, Joe Hart, Tom Heaton

With the squad announcement just minutes away, speculation across social media suggests that Townsend has indeed made the cut. It's probably fair to say that such an inclusion has proved divisive.

Those yearning for Wayne Rooney to be left out of the squad for Euro 2016 will almost certainly be left disappointed. While England undeniably looked a far better side in his absence during that memorable 3-2 comeback win over world champions Germany in Berlin, it seems incredibly unlikely that Hodgson will choose to ditch his captain and the country's all-time leading scorer so close to a major tournament.

Here is what the manager said last month about the growing clamour for Rooney to be dropped:

I think I've said now on several occasions that this is a 23-man squad: three goalkeepers and 20 outfield players. It would take a lot before I say to Wayne Rooney, after his captaincy over two years, after 19 games and two defeats, that because I am being pushed to make a brave, bold decision and show what a fantastic, forward-thinking and adventurous coach I am, 'I am leaving you out the team'.

It would take an awful lot. But, of course, Wayne Rooney has got to get fit, got to get playing and when Wayne Rooney gets in the squad he has got to get in front of other players again. Because he would not expect me to just give him a position in the team on sentiment or on his past record or the fact that he's the captain of the team. He will expect me to give him a position in the team because he shows he is better than the others.

England's most pressing injury worry over recent weeks has related to the fitness of Jordan Henderson. The Liverpool captain was expected to miss at least six weeks with damage to his lateral collateral ligament picked up against Borussia Dortmund, but his rehabilitation has continued ahead of schedule and he made his return to first-team action as a 64th-minute substitute at West Brom yesterday.

The Reds contest the 2016 Europa League final against holders Sevilla at St. Jakob-Park in Basel on Wednesday.

Welbeck's Gunners teammate Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has also been ruled out of the Euros with a fresh knee injury that is set to keep him sidelined for a further two months. The midfielder has not played since sustaining an initial problem during February's Champions League last-16 first-leg defeat to Barcelona.

However, Jack Wilshere seems a virtual shoo-in despite a chronic lack of first-team football this season that came as a result of a fractured left fibula suffered in training back in August 2015. Following an operation and a seemingly slow recovery process, he made his first senior appearance in more than a year with a late substitutes' cameo against Sunderland last month.

He also replaced Welbeck for the majority of the recent 2-2 draw with Manchester City and featured for 69 minutes of Sunday's 4-0 victory over relegated Aston Villa. Hodgson is a big fan of Wilshere and it would be a huge surprise if he were to be omitted today.

You can read a more thorough assessment of the dilemmas facing Hodgson here, but the main narrative ahead of the unveiling is whether or not Andros Townsend will be selected. The 24-year-old burst onto the international scene during England's 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign, but lost his place in the squad after falling out of favour under Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino at the start of the season.

However, his performances since completing a £12m January switch to Newcastle appear to have thrust him right back into the conversation, despite Rafael Benitez having failed to save the club from relegation to the Championship.

Townsend, who played the full 90 minutes of yesterday's shocking demolition of his former club, is likely to be competing with Arsenal's Theo Walcott to fill the slot vacated by Danny Welbeck after confirmation that the versatile 35-cap striker will miss up to nine months after surgery to repair significant cartilage damage in his knee. It was the cruellest of blows for a player who only returned from a 10-month absence in February.

Here is who the IBTimes UK's sport writers would select for Euro 2016, if they were in Hodgson's shoes:

Josh Evans

Goalkeepers: Fraser Forster, Ben Foster, Joe Hart

Defenders: Ryan Bertrand, Gary Cahill, Nathaniel Clyne, Phil Jagielka, Danny Rose, Chris Smalling, John Stones, Kyle Walker

Midfielders: Dele Alli, Ross Barkley, Eric Dier, Danny Drinkwater, Adam Lallana, Raheem Sterling, James Ward-Prowse, Jack Wilshere

Forwards: Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Daniel Sturridge, Jamie Vardy

George Flood

Goalkeepers: Fraser Forster, Joe Hart, Tom Heaton

Defenders: Ryan Bertrand, Gary Cahill, Nathaniel Clyne, Phil Jagielka, Danny Rose, Chris Smalling, John Stones, Kyle Walker

Midfielders: Dele Alli, Ross Barkley, Eric Dier, Danny Drinkwater, Jordan Henderson, Adam Lallana, James Milner, Raheem Sterling

Forwards: Harry Kane, Wayne Rooney, Daniel Sturridge, Jamie Vardy

Nick Howson

Goalkeepers: Joe Hart, Fraser Forster, Jordan Pickford

Defenders: Nathaniel Clyne, Chris Smalling, John Stones, Ryan Bertrand, Aaron Cresswell, Calum Chambers

Midfielders: Eric Dier, Dele Alli, Ross Barkley, Fabian Delph, Raheem Sterling, Adam Lallana, James Milner, James Ward-Prowse, Jordon Ibe

Forwards: Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, Wayne Rooney, Andy Carroll, Marcus Rashford

Tony Mogan

Goalkeepers: Joe Hart, Fraser Forster, Tom Heaton

Defenders: Kyle Walker, Nathaniel Clyne, Chris Smalling, Gary Cahill, John Stones, Phil Jagielka, Danny Rose

Midfielders: Danny Drinkwater, Jack Wilshere, Eric Dier, Jordan Henderson, Dele Alli, Ross Barkley, Raheem Sterling, Adam Lallana

Forwards: Harry Kane, Jamie Vardy, Wayne Rooney, Marcus Rashford, Daniel Sturridge

You will recall that this announcement was originally supposed to take place last Thursday, only for Hodgson to instigate a four-day delay in order to better assess any fitness problems after the final round of Premier League fixtures yesterday.

Uefa's official submission deadline for each 23-man squad is not until Tuesday 31 May, so there is still time for things to change and for larger contingents to be trimmed down to size. Both the Turkey and Australia friendlies come before that date, as does the FA Cup final between Manchester United and Crystal Palace. Further injury issues are certainly possible.

With less than a month to go before England begin their Euro 2016 campaign against Group B rivals Russia at the Stade Velodrome in Marseille, Roy Hodgson will address the assembled media at 11.00 BST this morning to reveal his provisional squad that are set to compete in three warm-up friendlies against Turkey, Australia and Portugal over the coming weeks before travelling to France.

Stay tuned to IBTimes UK for a preview, predictions and assessments of the key issues that have arisen before today's official Wembley announcement. We will also bring you the travelling party as it is revealed in addition to live reaction from across the world of football. Stay tuned.