England's potential route to the 2026 World Cup final

As overwhelming favourites to top Group L and qualify for the round of 32 with relative ease, England have to start strong in their opening game against Croatia, or the pressure could begin to build on the squad.

Finishing top of the group would hand England an easier pathway through to the final (in theory), and with the eight best third-placed teams progressing to the knockouts, there's little worry regarding England's place in the last 32 - the crucial thing is simply how they get there.

Having done a deep dive into England ahead of the summer, we know they're more than capable of competing against the world's very best teams, but avoiding them until the later stages would be an ideal situation for the Three Lions - which is why finishing top of Group L has to be the initial aim.

**All of these potential matches have been picked based on the outright winner odds of each possible opponent**

Should England do what is expected of them and finish top of the group, here is the path they would have to take to reach the final and win the World Cup for the first time since 1966.

Round of 32

• England vs 3EHIJK (Wednesday 1 July, 17:00 BST)

England's opponent here is likely to be one of Ivory Coast, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Algeria, or DR Congo.

Round of 16

• England vs Mexico (Monday 6 July, 01:00 BST)

The likely opponent here is whichever nation finishes top of Group A, which we are expecting to be Mexico.

Quarter-Final

• England vs Brazil (Saturday 11 July, 22:00 BST)

The opponent here is likely to be whichever nation wins Group C, which we are predicting to be Brazil.

Semi-Final

• England vs Argentina (Wednesday 15 July, 20:00 BST)

We expect England's semi-final opponent to be the winner of Group B (Switzerland), Group K (Portugal), or Group J (Argentina), so it's Lionel Messi's side who take the spot.

Final

• England vs Spain (Sunday 19 July, 20:00 BST)

The most likely final opponent in this pathway is Spain, who enter the tournament as joint-favourites.

**All of these potential matches have been picked based on the outright winner odds of each possible opponent**

If England fall slightly below expectations and only manage to finish second in Group L, here is the most probable route they would have to take to end their 60-year trophy drought.

Round of 32

• England vs Colombia (Friday 3 July, 00:00 BST)

Thomas Tuchel's side will face whichever team finishes second in Group K here, which Ladbrokes' odds are backing to be Colombia.

Round of 16

• England vs Spain (Monday 6 July, 20:00 BST)

The downside of finishing second is clear to see here, as Spain emerge as England's most likely round-of-16 opponents.

Quarter-Final

• England vs Belgium (Friday 10 July, 20:00 BST)

The most probable quarter-final opponents for England are either the winner of Group D (USA) or the winner of Group G (Belgium), so we're putting the Red Devils in here.

Semi-Final

• England vs France (Tuesday 14 July, 20:00 BST)

Should England make it this far, they are likely to face either the winner of Group E (Germany), Group F (Netherlands), or Group I (France).

Final

• England vs Brazil or Argentina (Sunday 19 July, 20:00 BST)

In this instance, England would take on either Brazil or Argentina in the final - who are both priced at 8/1 to win the 2026 World Cup.

**All of these potential matches have been picked based on the outright winner odds of each possible opponent**

Something has gone very wrong for Thomas Tuchel and his side if England only manage to qualify for the round of 32 as one of the best third-placed teams, but these are the opponents they would have to overcome to win the World Cup in this case.

Round of 32

• England vs Portugal (Saturday 4 July, 02:30 BST)

A third-place finish would mean England play the winners of Group K in the round of 32, which Ladbrokes expects to be Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal.

Round of 16

• England vs Switzerland (Tuesday 7 July, 21:00 BST)

The reward for beating Portugal would likely be a game against the winners of Group B, which we are tipping to be Switzerland.

Quarter-Final

• England vs Argentina (Sunday 12 July, 02:00 BST)

A brutal quarter-final would await England here, with Lionel Messi leading Argentina and continuing his hunt for the all-time goalscoring record.

Semi-Final

• England vs Brazil (Wednesday 15 July, 20:00 BST)

The games don't get any easier for England, as Brazil - led by Golden Ball candidate Vinicius Jr - meet the Three Lions at the semi-final stage.

Final

• England vs France or Spain (Sunday 19 July, 20:00 BST)

The final opponent of England's 2026 World Cup campaign would be either France or Spain, who both enter the tournament as joint-favourites with odds of 9/2.

So that wraps up our look at England's potential route to the final, depending on how they get on in Group L. Ladbrokes will be producing fresh content all throughout the 2026 World Cup, which will all be housed in our dedicated World Cup content hub, so you'll never have to miss a thing. From a full fixture schedule and detailed betting guide to a comprehensive tournament preview and a look at Scotland's chances, we really do cover all bases.

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All odds and market details are accurate as of the time of publication.

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