England’s route to the World Cup Final: Bracket scenarios, fixtures, Round of 16 & more information
Heading into the FIFA World Cup 2026 tournament, England fans had high hopes that their beloved Three Lions could go all the way and finally get their hands on the glittering gold trophy, even though they’ve had to endure sixty years of hurt.
Those ever-optimistic fans were even more enthusiastic following England’s rampant performance in their group opener vs Croatia and even though they failed to spark against Ghana, their dreams haven’t been dampened.
England reached the World Cup semis in 2018 and the quarter-finals in 2022, but can they go all the way in 2026? GOAL has all the possible routes and opponents that await the Three Lions between now and the World Cup Final on July 19.
England World Cup 2026 upcoming fixtures
Date
Fixture (local KO time)
Venue
Final Score / Tickets
Wednesday, June 17
England vs Croatia (3pm CDT)
AT&T Stadium, Dallas
England won 4-2
Tuesday, June 23
England vs Ghana (4pm ET)
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough
0-0
Saturday, June 27
Panama vs England (5pm ET)
MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
Tickets
What happens if England finish 1st in Group L?
These are the following dates, times and venues where and when England will be playing if they finish top of their FIFA World Cup 2026 group and then progress through to the World Cup Final.
A victory against Panama will seal 1st spot in the group, no matter what happens in the Ghana vs Croatia game.
If England do win their group, they are currently looking likely to face Senegal in the first round of the knockouts, with then possibly a very tough-looking encounter with tournament co-hosts, Mexico, at the Estadio Azteca in the Round of 16.
Following that it could be Brazil in the quarter-finals, Argentina or Portugal in the semi-finals and Germany/Spain/France in the Final.
Date (local KO time)
Round
Venue
Possible Fixture
Tickets
July 1 (12pm ET)
Round of 32
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
Match 80: vs 3rd Group E/H/I/J/K
Tickets
July 5 (6pm CST)
Round of 16
Estadio Azteca (Mexico City)
Match 92: vs 3rd Group C/E/F/H/I
Tickets
July 11 (5pm ET)
Quarter-Final
Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens)
Match 99: vs Winner Match 91
Tickets
July 15 (3pm ET)
Semi-Final
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
Match 102: vs Winner Match 100
Tickets
July 19 (3pm ET)
Final
MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford)
Match 104: vs Winner Match 101
Tickets
What happens if England finish 2nd in Group L?
These are the following dates, times and venues where and when England will be playing if they finish second in their FIFA World Cup 2026 group and then progress through to the World Cup Final.
If England fail to win against Panama, and either Ghana or Croatia win their last group match, then this scenario will play out.
If England finish second in their group, they are currently looking likely to face Colombia or Portugal in the first round of the knockouts (which will be a 12am/midnight kick-off, UK time), with then possibly a very tough-looking encounter with Spain in Dallas.
Following that it could be tournament co-hosts, USA, in the quarter-finals, France or Germany in the semi-finals and Argentina or Brazil in the Final. If England do follow this route, it means they would have played at AT&T Stadium on three occasions in total, including their 4-2 rout of Croatia.
Date (local KO time)
Round
Venue
Possible Fixture
Tickets
July 2 (7pm ET)
Round of 32
BMO Field (Toronto)
Match 83: vs Runner-up Group K
Tickets
July 6 (2pm CDT)
Round of 16
AT&T Stadium (Arlington)
Match 93: vs Winner Group H vs Runner-up Group J
Tickets
July 10 (12pm PT)
Quarter-Final
SoFi Stadium (Inglewood)
Match 98: vs Winner Match 94
Tickets
July 14 (2pm CDT)
Semi-Final
AT&T Stadium (Arlington)
Match 101: vs Winner Match 97
Tickets
July 19 (3pm ET)
Final
MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford)
Match 104: vs Winner Match 101
Tickets
What happens if England finish3rd in Group L?
These are the following dates, times, and venues where and when England will be playing if they finish third in their FIFA World Cup 2026 group and then progress through to the World Cup Final. If England lose against Panama and Croatia beats Ghana, then England may slip to third spot in the group, depending on goal difference.
If England finish third in their group, they are currently looking likely to face Colombia or Portugal in Kansas City during the first round of the knockouts, with then possibly a match-up vs Switzerland in Vancouver.
Following that, it could be back to Kansas City to face Argentina, in the quarter-finals. Brazil may await in the semi-finals and Spain, Germany or France in the Final. If England do follow this route, it could prove to be a tough watch for UK viewers, with BST kick-off times of 2am and 2.30am along the way.
Date (local KO time)
Round
Venue
Possible Fixture
Tickets
July 3 (8.30pm CDT)
Round of 32
Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City)
Match 87: vs Winner Group K
Tickets
July 7 (1pm PDT)
Round of 16
BC Place (Vancouver)
Match 96: vs Winner Match 85
Tickets
July 11 (8pm CDT)
Quarter-Final
Arrowhead Stadium (Kansas City)
Match 100: vs Winner Match 95
Tickets
July 15 (3pm ET)
Semi-Final
Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta)
Match 102: vs Winner Match 99
Tickets
July 19 (3pm ET)
Final
MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford)
Match 104: vs Winner Match 101
Tickets
Group L Standings
Rank
Team
Played
W
D
L
GF
GA
GD
Pts
Status
1st
England
2
1
1
0
4
2
2
4
In contention
2nd
Ghana
2
1
1
0
1
0
1
4
In contention
3rd
Croatia
2
1
0
1
3
4
-1
3
In contention
4th
Panama
2
0
0
2
0
2
-2
0
Eliminated
How to buy England World Cup tickets
Here is the current status of ticket sales:
- Last-Minute Sales Phase: This phase is currently live and operates on a first-come, first-served basis. Unlike the lotteries, these are real-time transactions. This is the final window to buy directly from FIFA.
- Official FIFA Resale Marketplace: This is the only authorized platform for fans to buy and sell verified tickets at face value. It will remain open until the end of the tournament.
- Secondary Marketplaces: Fans can also find tickets on platforms like StubHub. These are often the best options for high-demand knockout games, though prices may vary from face value. Always check the T&Cs of the secondary site before purchasing.
England World Cup tickets: How much do they cost?
FIFA has implemented variable pricing for the 2026 tournament. Tickets for the Group Stage started from as low as $60 (for specific Supporter Tiers), while prices for the Final can reach up to $6,730.
Below are the estimated price ranges for the current tournament phases:
Category
Group Stage
Round of 32 – Quarters
Semis & Final
Category 1
$250 – $400
$600 – $1,200
$1,500 – $6,730
Category 2
$150 – $280
$400 – $800
$1,000 – $4,210
Category 3
$100 – $200
$200 – $500
$600 – $2,790
Category 4
$60 – $120
$150 – $350
$400 – $2,030
Who is in the England World Cup 2026 Squad?
Here is the official 26-player squad representing England at FIFA World Cup 2026:
Position
Player
Current Club
Goalkeepers
Jordan Pickford
Everton
Dean Henderson
Crystal Palace
James Trafford
Manchester City
Defenders
Ezri Konsa
Aston Villa
Nico O’Reilly
Manchester City
John Stones
Manchester City
Marc Guéhi
Manchester City
Trevoh Chalobah
Chelsea
Dan Burn
Newcastle United
Reece James
Chelsea
Djed Spence
Tottenham Hotspur
Jarell Quansah
Bayer Leverkusen
Midfielders
Declan Rice
Arsenal
Elliot Anderson
Nottingham Forest
Jude Bellingham
Real Madrid
Jordan Henderson
Brentford
Kobbie Mainoo
Manchester United
Morgan Rogers
Aston Villa
Eberechi Eze
Arsenal
Forwards
Bukayo Saka
Arsenal
Harry Kane (captain)
Bayern Munich
Marcus Rashford
Barcelona
Anthony Gordon
Newcastle United
Ollie Watkins
Aston Villa
Noni Madueke
Arsenal
Ivan Toney
Al-Ahli
