Top News

England have kicked off their World Cup 2026 campaign with a commanding win — so naturally, it’s time to dream a little and chart out the next seven matches on the way to potential glory.

The Three Lions produced a dominant second-half display to secure an emphatic victory over Croatia in their opening fixture, sending a clear message to the rest of the footballing world.

It might be premature, but let’s indulge the optimism — if England truly are destined to win the World Cup, who awaits them in the upcoming rounds?

According to FIFA’s format, the winner of Group L will face a third-placed team from Group E, H, I, J, or K. However, should a third-placed team from Group K qualify, they will automatically meet the Group L winner. That’s exactly where England’s path could get interesting.

For Thomas Tuchel’s side, the most probable Round-of-32 opponent looks to be DR Congo, who currently sit well-positioned to secure third place. Tuchel would likely prefer that matchup over stronger sides such as Senegal or Ivory Coast. At present, DR Congo are in second place, while Portugal are third in Group K, meaning a replay of 2004 or 2006 could be on the cards. Colombia lead the group, and if results hold, England could end up facing Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in the next round — an intriguing prospect.

In the following stage, the winner of Group A will take on a third-placed team from Group C, E, F, H, or I — so if England progress from the Round of 32, their next challenge would likely come from that bracket.

Co-hosts Mexico currently look favourites to top Group A, although South Korea could still overtake them depending on upcoming results. Based on current form, Ecuador seem the likeliest opponents for the Group A winner — despite their narrow 1-0 defeat to Ivory Coast, they are expected to beat Curacao comfortably. Senegal, who are predicted to beat Iraq, could also emerge from Group I as a formidable contender. England will undoubtedly hope to avoid facing the African champions again after last summer’s defeat.

Japan, Netherlands, and Sweden from Group F are also possible third-placed finishers, while there’s an outside chance Scotland could draw Mexico — though that would require a highly improbable sequence of outcomes. As things stand, Mexico or Ecuador look the most likely Round-of-16 opponents, with Mexico’s home advantage making them a tough test.

If the FIFA World Rankings hold true, Brazil would potentially meet England in the quarter-finals, reminiscent of their 2002 clash. However, the sport rarely follows the script. Brazil’s shaky start — including a 1-1 draw with an impressive Morocco in New Jersey — could see them finish second in their group. That scenario could shuffle the deck, with Japan, Ecuador, or even Norway likely to emerge from that section of the draw. And who knows — Scotland could even surprise everyone by reaching the quarter-finals.

When the World Cup draw was made, England, France, Spain, and Argentina were placed in separate quarters, setting up possible semi-final meetings if all progress as expected. At present, both England and Argentina seem on course for a semi-final showdown — their first meeting in a major tournament since 2002. On the opposite side of the draw, France and Spain could renew their rivalry in a rematch of the Euro 2024 encounter between Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe.

Of course, for Lionel Messi’s Argentina, the road to the semi-finals is anything but straightforward. They may have to navigate past Uruguay, possibly Turkey, Australia, or Iran, and then face Colombia or Portugal. As history reminds us, anything can happen — Spain were tipped to face England in the 2018 semi-finals, but Russia upset that projection before bowing out to Croatia.

France are widely expected to top their group, as are Germany, setting up a potential quarter-final meeting that recalls their 2014 World Cup encounter. The Netherlands could await the winner of that clash. Meanwhile, Spain headline the opposite half of the draw alongside Belgium and Croatia — both capable of deep runs given their knockout pedigree. Should Portugal finish second in their group, they too would fall into that half of the bracket.

And for those wondering about the dream showdown — England and Scotland could meet only if one finishes first and the other second in their respective groups, paving the way for a potential final at MetLife Stadium next month.

Predicted route to the final:
Last-32: Democratic Republic of Congo
Last-16: South Korea
Quarter-finals: Norway or Ecuador
Semi-finals: Colombia, Switzerland or Uruguay
Final: Germany, Belgium or Croatia

Alternative route:
Last-32: Portugal
Last-16: Mexico
Quarter-finals: Brazil
Semi-finals: Argentina
Final: France or Spain