Who will England have to beat to reach the 2026 World Cup final?
By OnzeActu · · 3 min read
Winner of Group L, England will first face DR Congo in Atlanta, then could meet Mexico or Ecuador in Mexico, before a quarter in Miami probably against the winner Brazil/Norway, a half against Argentina (or other) in Atlanta and finally the final in New York/New Jersey, where France appears to be the most likely opponent.
By beating Panama and finishing top of Group L, England have given themselves a clear picture for the knockout stage – and a course potentially strewn with very high-level obstacles.
First meeting: Atlanta. Coming out first in its group, England will travel for its round of 16 to the city of Atlanta, where it has not yet played at this World Cup. The likely opponent will be the Democratic Republic of Congo – a team England have never faced before. The match is scheduled for noon (Eastern time) on Wednesday, which will correspond to 6 p.m. in France, and will be held in a covered and air-conditioned stadium, limiting the impact of the heat.
If successful, the English will return to their base camp in Kansas City before undertaking their first long trip to Mexico City. The next round of 16 will be played at Azteca on Sunday July 5 (local time) – a very late kick-off for French viewers (around 2:00 a.m. Monday morning, French time). There, England would face the winner of the Mexico–Ecuador match, played at the same stadium. If Mexico is often presented as favorite, Ecuador showed that it could create a surprise after its victory against Germany; we could therefore find players like Moisés Caicedo or Piero Hicapie facing the English.
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A success in Mexico City would then give England a longer recovery period before the quarter-finals, scheduled in Miami on July 11. This meeting, scheduled for 11 p.m. in France (5 p.m. ET), promises to be the toughest test so far: the winner of this match will most likely face the winner of the last 16 which could pit Brazil against Norway. Facing Brazil in the heat and humidity of South Florida, in front of a largely pro-Brazil crowd, would pose a significant challenge.
If England were to eliminate Brazil in Miami, they would then return to Kansas City to prepare for the semi-final scheduled for Wednesday July 15 in Atlanta (9 p.m. in France). The opponent in the semis should come from the quarter contested in Kansas City, a part of the table where Argentina is a favorite – possibly against Colombia. Trying to beat a team led by Lionel Messi would arguably be the toughest obstacle on the road to the final.
Finally, after a successful semi-final in Atlanta, England could travel to New York/New Jersey to play the final at MetLife Stadium on Sunday July 19 (9 p.m. in France). The most likely scenario, given the table, would see a final between England and France, who would aim for their third consecutive final and the coronation after 2018.
In the end, the path to the final for England goes through some tricky stages – DR Congo, then most likely Mexico or Ecuador, a quarter potentially against Brazil, then a half against an Argentine team – before hoping to play the grand final in New York/New Jersey. To reach MetLife Stadium, the English will have to beat several of the best teams in the tournament.