Sources told ESPN from the Football Association (FA) that Gareth Southgate will remain as England manager regardless of the outcome of the 2024 European Championship final against Spain on Sunday.
Southgate's current contract expires in December and the 53-year-old has repeatedly stressed that he will not think about his position until after the end of the tournament.
England were seconds away from being knocked out by Slovakia in the round of 16 when Jude Bellingham scored a spectacular equaliser for the hosts in the 95th minute. After the group stage draw with Slovenia, Southgate was pelted with beer mugs.
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Given the sentiment shown towards him, it seemed increasingly likely that Southgate would resign, but England's dramatic run to the final in Germany may now prompt him to have a change of heart.
Sources have told ESPN that the English Football Association has always wanted Southgate to lead England to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico. To do so, he would have to sign a new contract, which would mean a decade at the helm after he replaced Sam Allardyce as England manager in 2016.
The FA was impressed by Southgate's efforts to lead England to a major final on foreign soil for the first time and to back-to-back European Championship finals after losing to Italy on penalties at Wembley three years ago.
By reaching the semi-finals, final, quarter-finals and final of his four tournaments, Southgate has now achieved more knockout victories than all other English managers combined since 1966.
On the eve of the tournament, FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said: “I think incredibly highly of Gareth. I think he has done a phenomenal job.”
“I think he has changed the fortunes of our team. That's not just off the field, and you can see it in the culture, but also in the performances on the field.”
“Since 1966 he has won about half of our knockout games. That's a yardstick we really use. That's why we value him enormously.”
Southgate is open to returning to club management one day and was one of the options Manchester United considered before they decided to keep Erik ten Hag for next season.
