England topped Group L at the 2026 World Cup, finishing the group stage with a 4-2 win over Croatia in Arlington, Texas, a 0-0 draw with Ghana, and a 2-0 win over Panama in their final group match. Croatia beat Ghana 2-1 in the simultaneous fixture, but it was not enough to overtake England at the top of the table. That result confirmed Thomas Tuchel’s side as group winners, and their Round of 32 opponent is now locked in.
Who England Face in the Round of 32
England will play DR Congo in the Round of 32 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Wednesday 1 July, kicking off at 12 noon ET, which is 5pm UK time. DR Congo advanced from Group K, finishing behind Portugal and Colombia in a tightly contested group, qualifying via their results against Uzbekistan.
England Football’s official pre-tournament breakdown had projected this as one of the more likely scenarios for a Group L-winning England side, with the Three Lions facing the third-placed finisher from one of Groups E, H, I, J or K depending on how those groups resolved.
England’s Route Beyond the Round of 32
Should England beat DR Congo, their reward is a daunting one. England would face co-hosts Mexico in the Round of 16 at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, a venue where El Tri have lost just twice in competitive internationals since the stadium opened in 1966. England Football’s projected schedule lists that fixture for Monday 6 July at 1am UK time.
From there, the path gets harder still. A potential quarter-final against Brazil looms, with Argentina, the defending champions, a possible semi-final opponent in Atlanta. England have not been past the semi-finals since their solitary World Cup triumph in 1966, reaching the last four in 2018 and the quarter-finals in 2022.
The tournament’s final is scheduled for Sunday 19 July at the New York-New Jersey, MetLife Stadium. Wednesday’s match in Atlanta against DR Congo is the first step on whatever route England end up taking toward it.
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