England’s Route to the World Cup 2026 Final, and Who’s Favourite to Win

England head into the 2026 World Cup under Thomas Tuchel, looking to end a 60-year wait for a second World Cup title. Drawn in Group L alongside Croatia, Ghana, and Panama, the Three Lions arrive as one of the tournament favourites — but the route to the final has plenty of potential banana skins. Here’s how England’s path could unfold, and where they sit in the latest odds to win the tournament outright.

England’s Group L Fixtures

England open their campaign against Croatia in Dallas on Wednesday, June 17 — a repeat of the dramatic 2018 semi-final, which Croatia won in extra time. From there, England face Ghana in Boston on Tuesday, June 23, in what will be their first-ever competitive meeting with the Ghanaians, before closing out the group against Panama in New Jersey on Saturday, June 27.

All three Group L venues fall in the eastern United States, which means UK kick-off times for England’s group games are relatively friendly compared with fixtures played further west.

England’s Possible Route to the Final

Thanks to a seeding system introduced for the expanded 48-team format, England can’t meet fellow top seeds Spain or Argentina until at least the semi-finals, and can’t face France until the final itself — provided all four sides progress as expected from their groups.

Stage	Potential Opponent / Detail
Group L	Croatia, Ghana, Panama
Round of 32	A third-place finisher from Group E, H, I, J, or K (if England top the group)
Round of 16	Likely Mexico, co-hosts, at the Estadio Azteca — a daunting venue and occasion
Quarter-final	Likely Brazil, if the bracket follows seeding
Semi-final	Likely Argentina or Portugal, depending on the other side of the draw
Final (July 19)	Likely Spain or France, if both progress as top seeds

This route is the projected path if results follow seeding and form — in practice, upsets in earlier rounds could reshape any stage of this bracket significantly. Finishing top of Group L matters considerably, since finishing second or third would likely mean a tougher run through the knockout stages.

England’s Squad

Thomas Tuchel’s squad for the tournament includes captain Harry Kane, alongside midfield options Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice, with Jordan Pickford and John Stones providing tournament experience — both heading into their fifth major tournament. Jordan Henderson returns to the squad for what would be his seventh major tournament with England.

Among the notable players left out of the squad were Cole Palmer and Phil Foden, with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Luke Shaw, and Harry Maguire also missing out — reflecting the strength in depth Tuchel had to work with when finalising his selection.

Who’s Favourite to Win the World Cup 2026?

Spain and France currently sit at the top of the betting odds to win the tournament outright, effectively tied as co-favourites, with England sitting in third place in most bookmakers’ lists. Portugal, Brazil, and defending champions Argentina round out the group most commonly cited among the leading contenders.

Spain’s position at the top reflects both their Euro 2024 success and a squad built around young talents like Lamine Yamal alongside experienced midfielders. France, two-time champions, head into the tournament as perennial contenders, while Argentina — despite sitting further down the outright odds than in 2022 — remain dangerous as defending champions with a roster built around significant tournament experience.

Top Scorer (Golden Boot) Odds

The Golden Boot goes to the tournament’s top goal-scorer, with ties resolved first by assists and then by minutes played (fewer minutes breaking the tie). Recent winners include Kylian Mbappe in 2022 and Harry Kane in 2018, giving a sense of the calibre of player typically in contention.

Among the players most frequently mentioned in early Golden Boot conversations for 2026 are Spain’s Lamine Yamal, alongside established forwards from the tournament’s other leading nations — though Golden Boot odds tend to shift considerably once the goals start going in during the group stage.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is England playing in their World Cup 2026 group?

England are in Group L alongside Croatia, Ghana, and Panama, with matches played in Dallas, Boston, and New Jersey respectively.

Can England play Spain or Argentina before the final?

Under the seeding system used for the 2026 tournament, England (as a top seed) cannot face fellow top seeds Spain or Argentina until at least the semi-final stage, and cannot face France until the final — provided all sides progress as seeded.

Who are the favourites to win the World Cup 2026?

Spain and France are currently the joint favourites in most bookmakers’ odds, with England commonly placed third. Portugal, Brazil, and defending champions Argentina also feature prominently among the leading contenders.

When is the World Cup 2026 final?

The final is scheduled for Sunday, July 19, 2026, at the New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Who is in England’s World Cup 2026 squad?

England’s squad includes captain Harry Kane, alongside Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice, Jordan Pickford, John Stones, and Jordan Henderson among the more experienced names, with Thomas Tuchel as head coach.

Final Thoughts

England’s path to a first World Cup final since 1966 runs through a manageable-looking group, but the knockout stages bring increasingly tough potential opponents — co-hosts Mexico, then Brazil, then a likely semi-final against Argentina or Portugal, before a possible final against Spain or France. With Spain and France sitting marginally ahead in the outright odds and England in close pursuit, the tournament looks wide open at the top, and a lot will depend on how cleanly England navigate Group L before the bracket gets serious.