Who will England play in the round of 32?
England are set to advance to the knockout round, but who could they face after Panama, as the competition heats up
England are playing Panama this weekend having, catastrophe aside, assured their place in the last 32, but Thomas Tuchel's side are still unsure as to who they will play next.
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England could have sealed the deal, but a 0-0 draw against Ghana has still left a lingering doubt as to their progress to the last 32.
The Three Lions had beaten Croatia 4-2 in their opening match and top Group L going into the final match against Panama, which will be played on Saturday night.
Harry Kane and co. still have several possible opponents for the next round, ranging from Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal to Yoane Wissa's DR Congo.
Here is how it could pan out.
Read also: Can Scotland still qualify for World Cup last 32?
Have England qualified for the World Cup 2026 last 32?
Not quite, but England very much have one foot in the next round, having beaten Croatia and drawn with Ghana to top Group C - and it would now take an unlikely series of events for them to miss out.
If England lost to Panama (by four goals or more) and Croatia beat Ghana (by a single-goal margin), Croatia would have six points, and England would be level with Ghana on four but with a worse goal difference.
This would mean England would finish third, and even then would go through unless Cape Verde, Algeria, DR Congo, and Belgium all win their next games and finish with a goal difference superior to England's.
All England need to do is draw against a team who are already eliminated and who they beat 6-1 in 2018. And if they lose, a Ghana win or draw against Croatia will also be fine.
Who will England play in the World Cup 2026 round of 32?
The runner-up of England's Group L will play the runner-up of Group K, which could be Colombia (currently top), Portugal (second), or DR Congo (third). Group K has one more game remaining.
The winner of Group L will play the best-ranked third-placed team from groups E, I, J, or K. At present, this stands to be Ecuador, but it could be several other teams, depending on results.
If England finishes third, they will play the Group K winners.