Quick Answer

England are in Group L at the 2026 World Cup alongside Croatia, Ghana and Panama. Their three group stage matches are: England vs Croatia on 17 June in Dallas (9pm BST), England vs Ghana on 23 June in Boston (9pm BST), and Panama vs England on 27 June in New Jersey (10pm BST). England are expected to qualify from the group but face a genuine test in their opener against Croatia.

What group is England in at the 2026 World Cup?

England have been drawn in Group L — one of twelve groups in the expanded 48-team format. Their opponents are Croatia, Ghana and Panama.

On paper it is a group England will be expected to win. Croatia are the most dangerous of the three — the 2018 World Cup finalists who have a long habit of exceeding expectations at major tournaments. Ghana are capable of an upset on their day. Panama are the group's clear underdogs, qualifying through CONCACAF with limited experience at this level.

The draw took place at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. on 5 December 2025.

What are England's 2026 World Cup fixtures?

England play three group stage matches between 17 and 27 June 2026. All three are played in the United States.

Match 1 — England vs Croatia Wednesday 17 June 2026 AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas, USA Kick-off: 4pm ET / 9pm BST

Match 2 — England vs Ghana Tuesday 23 June 2026 Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts, USA Kick-off: 4pm ET / 9pm BST

Match 3 — Panama vs England Saturday 27 June 2026 MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA Kick-off: 5pm ET / 10pm BST

What time do England's World Cup games kick off in the UK?

England's first two group games — against Croatia and Ghana — kick off at 9pm BST, making them ideal for UK viewers who will not need to stay up late. The final group match against Panama kicks off at 10pm BST.

All three matches are played in the eastern United States, which sits five hours behind British Summer Time, so evening fixtures in America translate to late evening in the UK. This is considerably more viewer-friendly than the scheduling England faced in the Qatar 2022 tournament.

Where do England play their 2026 World Cup group games?

England's three fixtures are spread across three iconic American venues.

AT&T Stadium, Arlington (Dallas), Texas hosts the Croatia opener. Home of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys, it holds around 80,000 for football and is one of the most technologically advanced stadiums in the world. The stadium is located in Arlington, roughly halfway between Dallas and Fort Worth.

Gillette Stadium, Foxborough (Boston), Massachusetts hosts the Ghana match. The home of the New England Patriots sits about 30 miles south of Boston city centre and holds around 66,000 for football. It last hosted major international football during the 1994 World Cup, when the ground was known as Foxboro Stadium.

MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford (New York/New Jersey) hosts the Panama finale — and it is also the venue for the World Cup Final on 19 July. Playing their last group game at the final's home ground gives England's group stage a fitting sense of occasion. The stadium holds just over 82,000.

Who are England's opponents at the 2026 World Cup?

Croatia are England's most familiar opponents and represent the group's real test. The two nations have history: Croatia beat England 2-1 after extra time in the 2018 World Cup semi-final in Moscow — still one of the most painful nights in recent England memory. England got some measure of revenge with a 1-0 win in the group stage of Euro 2020. At 2026, Croatia will be rebuilding their golden generation but remain dangerous.

Ghana qualified through the African pathway. They are a side with pace and directness in attack, and they famously knocked the United States out of the 2010 World Cup. They will be heavy underdogs against England but are not a side to be taken lightly.

Panama are the group's most limited side on paper. This is just their second World Cup, and their squad relies heavily on experience from Central American club football. England beat Panama 6-1 at the 2018 World Cup. A similar result here would do England's goal difference no harm at all.

Can England qualify from Group L?

England are strong favourites to qualify automatically as one of the top two in Group L. The bracket is manageable, the fixtures are well-scheduled for UK viewers, and Thomas Tuchel has had time to implement his system since taking over as manager in autumn 2024.

The key match is the Croatia opener on 17 June. Win that, and England are in an excellent position to top the group. Lose it, and the pressure shifts to the Ghana fixture six days later.

Even finishing third in Group L would not necessarily mean elimination — the eight best third-place teams across all twelve groups also advance to the Round of 32. But England would need to be aiming higher than that.

What is England's route to the 2026 World Cup Final?

England's knockout path depends on how they finish in Group L.

If England win Group L, they play Match 80 in the Round of 32 on 1 July at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta — facing one of the best third-place finishers from Groups E, H, I, J or K.

If England finish second in Group L, they face the runner-up from Group K (Portugal, Colombia, DR Congo or Uzbekistan) in Match 83 on 1 July at BMO Field in Toronto.

Winning the group matters here. Second place in Group L could bring an early knockout clash with Portugal or Colombia — two sides capable of ending England's tournament before the quarter-finals. Top spot opens a considerably softer route.

England's projected knockout schedule, assuming they advance at each stage:

Round of 32 — 1 July Round of 16 — 5 or 6 July Quarter-final — 9–11 July Semi-final — 15 or 16 July Final — 19 July, MetLife Stadium, New Jersey

Want to map out England's full route to the final? Build your 2026 World Cup bracket at CupRoute and see how far the Three Lions can go.