England World Cup final route as things stand as knockout stage opponents emerge

Group stage progress: England kicked off their World Cup 2026 campaign in style by securing a 4-2 win over Croatia in their opening Group L fixture.

Up next for the Three Lions is a clash against Ghana at 9pm BST tonight, before they round off the group stage of the tournament against Panama this Saturday at 10pm.

Round of 32 if topping the group: If England finish as winners of Group L, they will advance to a round of 32 fixture held in Atlanta on July 1.

In this scenario, they are slated to play one of the best third-placed teams from Groups E, H, I, J, or K, meaning potential matchups against sides like Ecuador, Cape Verde, Algeria or Portugal based on current standings.

Round of 32 if finishing as runners-up: Securing a second-place finish in Group L would redirect Thomas Tuchel 's side down a completely different path in the tournament bracket.