England's Potential Opponents in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32

As the group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup unfolds, teams battle for spots in the Round of 32. England recently secured their place in the knockout rounds, joining other teams still fighting for advancement.

England's recent match against Ghana ended in a goalless draw, despite numerous chances on both sides. The stalemate keeps both teams tied at the top of Group I with four points each, but England holds a slight advantage thanks to a +2 goal difference.

England's Group Stage Performance

The Three Lions began their campaign with a strong 4-2 victory over Croatia. Captain Harry Kane opened the scoring, but Croatia quickly equalized through Martin Baturina. Kane scored again before halftime, only for Petar Musa to level the score once more. In the second half, Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford struck to seal the win for England.

Possible Round of 32 Opponents

If England finishes first in Group L, they will face a third-place team from Groups E, H, I, J, or K. Finishing second in the group would set up a match against the runner-up from Group K.

Here are the potential opponents if England wins Group L:

• Group E: Ivory Coast, Ecuador, Curaçao
• Group H: Uruguay, Cabo Verde, Saudi Arabia
• Group I: Senegal, Iraq
• Group J: Austria, Algeria
• Group K: Portugal, Colombia, Congo DR, Uzbekistan

If England finishes second in Group L, their opponent would come from Group K’s runners-up:

• Group K: Portugal, Colombia, Congo DR, Uzbekistan

Round of 32 Match Schedule

Should England top Group L, their Round of 32 match is scheduled for Wednesday, July 1, at 5 p.m. ET in Atlanta. If they finish as runners-up, their game will take place on Friday, July 3, at noon ET in Toronto, Canada.