A third of the 30-strong squad for next week's friendly against Denmark have fewer than five caps.
The England manager has always spoken of his desire to take a handful of inexperienced players to the tournament in Brazil.
And should the likes of Luke Shaw, Raheem Sterling and Ross Barkley perform well against the Danes, they may just nudge an established player out of the reckoning.
Roy Hodgson: "I am very conscious of the fact that I could have to leave a big name out.
"It wasn't easy before the Euros to be honest. This time it is going to be even harder.
"Before the Euros at least I was choosing names of players I knew and players I had seen play but had never really worked with.
"This time I will have to disappoint some people I have worked with who have maybe done a good job for me and the team."
Speculation had been rife that Adam Johnson, or Wilfried Zaha, would be recalled, but neither made the cut for the Denmark game.
Fit-again West Ham striker Andy Carroll was another notable omission. Hodgson insisted those players still had a chance of making his World Cup squad, though.
"This is not a definitive list," Hodgson added.
"The fact someone is on this list does not say he will be going or be one of the seven standby players because I reserve the right to change my mind on those subjects."