By Martin Graham
England’s journey to the 2026 World Cup will begin against Croatia, with Thomas Tuchel’s side also facing Ghana and Panama in Group L. Their first outing is scheduled for June 17, in either Dallas or Toronto. This match comes almost a week after the start of the competition. Two more games follow: a meeting with Ghana on June 23 in Toronto or Boston and a closing game against Panama on June 27 in Philadelphia or New York.
Scotland return to the men’s World Cup for the first time since 1998 and open against Haiti on June 13, with Boston or New York as possible venues. Morocco awaits June 19 in Boston or Philadelphia, and their high-profile encounter with Brazil will be held on June 24 in Atlanta or Miami. Their draw places them alongside the fifth and 11th ranked teams in the world.
The expanded 48-country edition will roll out in Canada, Mexico and the United States from June 11 to July 19. With 16 cities involved and 104 matches scheduled, the event will kick off at the Estadio Azteca, where Mexico take on South Africa in the curtain raiser. Twelve groups of four teams were formed using the international ranking table to rank each pot. The two best results from each section and eight strong third-placed teams advance to the knockout rounds.
Play-off routes and group overview
Several European teams still depend on the play-offs in March. Both Wales and Northern Ireland could join Group B, joining Canada, Qatar and Switzerland if they progress through two qualifying rounds. Italy, Bosnia-Herzegovina and North Macedonia are among other nations sailing these routes. Additional intercontinental slots remain open through two separate FIFA playoff tracks involving countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Jamaica, Iraq, Bolivia and Suriname.
The full composition of the group means heavyweight matchups and unknown meetings. Brazil, Morocco, Haiti and Scotland form Group C, while France share Group I with Senegal, Norway and an intercontinental qualifier. Elsewhere, Argentina face Algeria, Austria and Jordan in Group J, and Portugal top Group K with Uzbekistan, Colombia and another playoff entrant. Hosts Canada, Mexico, and the United States each occupy predetermined positions that guarantee all of their group games will occur at home.
A revised draw rule gives the top four teams (Spain, Argentina, France and England) guaranteed routes that prevent them from crossing before the last four, as long as they all top their groups. Should England finish first, their initial knockout opponent will be one of the teams with the third strongest record. A possible quarter-final with the winner of the Brazilian section is also on their side of the bracket.
Reactions and highlights from the ceremony
Tuchel, reflecting on England’s assignment, labeled it a stern opening trio. He highlighted Croatia’s pedigree, Ghana’s long-standing competitiveness and Panama’s desire to seize their opportunity. His squad progressed through the standings with eight wins and no goals conceded, highlighting the need to chase top spot in the group with full concentration.
Croatia represents the most challenging draw England could have received from their pot, with memories lingering of the semi-final setback in 2018. England last faced Panama on the World Cup stage at this same tournament, producing a 6-1 triumph, although Tuchel insisted all opponents deserve full attention.
A lengthy ceremony in Washington DC included the presentation of the inaugural FIFA Peace Prize to US President Donald Trump, honored by Gianni Infantino. The show featured appearances by well-known figures from sports and entertainment, with Rio Ferdinand hosting the draw alongside athletes from American football, basketball, baseball and ice hockey. Hart, Klum and RamÃrez hosted, supported by musical performances from world-renowned artists.
The next step for all qualified teams comes with a second draw that will allocate matches across the host cities on Saturday at 17:00 GMT.
