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England's Path and Knockout Bracket at the 2026 World Cup

The England team has secured a spot in the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup after topping their group. Managed by Thomas Tuchel, England defeated Croatia and Panama in the group stage before edging past DR Congo 2-1 in the Round of 32.

The Three Lions faced early trouble against DR Congo, falling behind, but captain Harry Kane stepped up with two outstanding goals to turn the match around. Now, they prepare for a challenging Round of 16 clash against Mexico, one of the tournament’s co-hosts.

Group Stage Recap and Knockout Progress

  • June 17: England 4-2 Croatia
  • June 23: England 0-0 Ghana
  • June 27: Panama 0-2 England
  • Round of 32: England 2-1 DR Congo

Upcoming Matches

England's path puts them in the lower half of the bracket alongside major teams like Brazil, Argentina, Norway, Egypt, and Colombia. Their next game is against Mexico at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City on Sunday, July 5, kicking off at 1am UK time.

If England advances, they would likely face either five-time winners Brazil or Norway in the quarter-finals on July 11 in Miami at 10pm GMT. Brazil pulled off a late comeback to beat Japan 2-1, while Norway won 1-0 over Ivory Coast thanks to Erling Haaland.

The semi-final could pit England against holders Argentina or Colombia, scheduled for July 15 at 8pm UK time. Other nations on this side include Cape Verde, Australia, Switzerland, Algeria, and Ghana.

Should England reach the final, it will be held at MetLife Stadium on July 19 at 8pm UK time. Their opponents would emerge from the top bracket, which features France, Spain, Portugal, the USA, and Morocco.

Full Potential Route for England

  • Round of 16: vs Mexico - July 5
  • Quarter-finals: vs Brazil or Norway - July 11
  • Semi-finals: vs Argentina or Colombia - July 15
  • Final: vs Spain, France, or Portugal - July 19

England Squad and Kit Numbers

  • 1 - Jordan Pickford
  • 2 - Ezri Konsa
  • 3 - Nico O'Reilly
  • 4 - Declan Rice
  • 5 - John Stones
  • 6 - Marc Guehi
  • 7 - Bukayo Saka
  • 8 - Elliot Anderson
  • 9 - Harry Kane
  • 10 - Jude Bellingham
  • 11 - Marcus Rashford
  • 12 - Trevoh Chalobah
  • 13 - Dean Henderson
  • 14 - Jordan Henderson
  • 15 - Dan Burn
  • 16 - Kobbie Mainoo
  • 17 - Morgan Rogers
  • 18 - Anthony Gordon
  • 19 - Ollie Watkins
  • 20 - Noni Madueke
  • 21 - Eberechi Eze
  • 22 - Ivan Toney
  • 23 - James Trafford
  • 24 - Reece James
  • 25 - Djed Spence
  • 26 - Jarell Quansah

Tuchel's Thoughts After the DR Congo Match

"If everyone got what they like, we get an early goal, another goal, an easy afternoon. You have to deal with each situation that comes. They got a very early goal.After the water break, we had four or five opportunities. The penalty situation didn’t go in our favour.We kept knocking, knocking and knocking. The reaction and belief is one of a kind. We found a way to win. Well deserved.Like I said the whole tournament, the energy and team spirit is at the highest level.Everyone understands which part of the tournament we are in at the moment. The players who don’t play keep pushing and pushing, they are positive in the water breaks. Everyone is comfortable when they play, everyone is comfortable when they finish the game.We want it easy and have the first goal. If you have it and come back from one goal down, these are the experiences that give you genuine belief.They are well aware of what they did and what it took today."

England remains focused as they chase the trophy, facing tough opponents at every stage. The upcoming matches will test their resolve and skill, with big names like Haaland, Kane, and Bellingham leading the charge.

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