​England have stormed into the World Cup 2026 knockout phase under Thomas Tuchel, who could be the man to finally end the country’s 60-year wait on the global stage. The Three Lions topped Group L, earning a Round of 32 meeting with DR Congo after a quiet 0-0 draw with Ghana sandwiched between victories over Croatia and Panama. If they advance, they could face the Group A winner—likely hosts Mexico, based on FIFA rankings—at the Estadio Azteca, a stern high-altitude test. Surviving that could set up a quarter-final against Brazil, with Argentina a possible semi-final opponent after Lionel Messi’s early hat-trick and a strong start. The other half of the draw could see England contest the final with top-ranked Spain, who would be waiting in the final. England’s plausible route to the World Cup final unfolds as follows:
Group fixtures
June 17: England 4-2 Croatia at AT&T Stadium, Arlington
June 23: England 0-0 Ghana at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough
June 27: England 2-0 Panama at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
Round of 32
July 1: England v DR Congo at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Round of 16
July 5: England v Mexico at Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
Quarter-final
July 11: England v Brazil at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
Semi-final
July 15: England v Argentina at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Final
July 19: England v Spain at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford