England at World Cup 2026: Fixtures, Kick-off Times & Route to Final

Writing has always been Josh's way of expressing his deep enthusiasm for sports, and this new path allows him to bring a fresh and honest perspective to his work.

He also gains valuable experience as a volunteer match reporter for the Loughborough Foxes WFC. Covering live events has helped Josh improve his storytelling skills and given him a closer insight into the game. Sign in to your GiveMeSport account The 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico will be England's 17th appearance at the tournament, and their first under Thomas Tuchel, who was appointed in February 2025 with one objective: win the World Cup.

It's now been 60 years since England lifted the Jules Rimet Trophy on home soil in 1966, and the wait for a second major triumph has never felt more agonising than in recent years.

Gareth Southgate's side reached the semi-finals in Russia in 2018, then went agonisingly close on two occasions at the European Championship, losing on penalties in the Euro 2020 final to Italy, and suffering a 2-1 defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final in Berlin.

But as always, there’s genuine belief among England fans that this could be the year. England squads tend to be packed with world-class talent, and this year is no different. But they’re now guided by an experienced Champions League-winning manager in Tuchel, which could make all the difference as they head into the tournament.

This is everything you need to know about the Three Lions' 2026 World Cup campaign.

Every single World Cup game on TV, listed by date, with kick-off times and channels, plus streaming information

England were drawn in Group L alongside Croatia, Panama and Ghana. It is a group Tuchel's side will be expected to win. They are comfortably the highest-ranked team and began with a big victory over Croatia, who knocked England out at the semi-final stage in 2018, meaning the demons of past disappointments have been exorcised early on.

England's World Cup Kick-off Times and Where to Watch

England played Croatia in Dallas before heading to Boston to face Ghana, a side with several players who've graced the Premier League, including Manchester City's Antoine Semenyo. The group concludes in New Jersey against Panama, who England thrashed 6-1 the last time they met at a World Cup in 2018.

The 2026 World Cup introduces a Round of 32 for the first time, meaning England would play an extra knockout game before the familiar Round of 16. Topping Group L is crucial. If England finish first, they face one of the eight third-place sides in the Round of 32 on the 1st of July in Atlanta, then a possible clash against hosts Mexico in the early hours of the 6th of July awaits at the Estadio Azteca.

The Three Lions' World Cup draw has been made

This is where it steps up a gear. On the 11th of July, Brazil could well be waiting in the quarter-finals. As much as they would have avoided the top three ranked teams, the test would be just as big if the Selecao, who knocked England out of the 2002 World Cup at this stage, are the opponents. A semi-final around the 15th of July may pit them against holders Argentina. The Three Lions have never faced Lionel Messi, and it would be the first time in over two decades that the two nations would face-off.

Then it's on to the big one. The final takes place on the 19th of July at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The top two seeded sides, France and Spain, conveniently sit on the other side of the bracket to England, and if their performances in the World Cup live up to their ranking, it'll be either the side that knocked them out of the last Euros or last World Cup, that England would face in the final.

All 104 matches will be shown free-to-air in the UK, split between BBC and ITV, with only a TV license required to watch them live in the UK. ITV has the Croatia and Panama matches; BBC has Ghana. Should England progress, the BBC is set to broadcast their Round of 32 and Round of 16 fixtures, with ITV taking the quarter-final and handing back over to BBC for the semi-final, with both channels simulcasting the final.

In the US, English-language coverage is on FOX and FS1, while Spanish-language viewers can watch on Telemundo and Universo, with all platforms providing streaming options in the same way BBC and ITV do.

This has been the biggest and most controversial talking point of recent weeks when it comes to the Three Lions.

Tuchel named his 26-man squad on the 22nd of May in a live event from Wembley, and it generated enormous debate. The omissions of former England regulars Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw were the big talking points, with Maguire posting publicly that he was "shocked and gutted."

On the other side, captain Harry Kane will lead the squad, and Ivan Toney returned from international exile alongside a surprise inclusion for John Stones, who has played just 18 matches in all competitions this past season.

Jordan Pickford, Dean Henderson, James Trafford

Dan Burn, Marc Guehi, Reece James, Ezri Konsa, Tino Livramento, Nico O'Reilly, Jarrell Quansah, Djed Spence, John Stones

Elliot Anderson, Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze, Jordan Henderson, Kobbie Mainoo, Morgan Rogers

Harry Kane, Anthony Gordon, Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford, Noni Madueke, Ivan Toney, Ollie Watkins

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