England’s World Cup fixtures changed overnight after FIFA shake-up
England’s rivals in the round of 32 at the World Cup have been officially confirmed following the end of the group stages. The Three Lions will face DR Congo in the first knockout round of the tournament as they continue with their bid for silverware.
Thomas Tuchel’s men enjoyed an unbeaten group stage, topping Group L with seven points after a draw with Ghana and victories against Croatia and Panama. A 2-0 triumph over Panama in their final group match sealed their place at the top of Group L.
Attention will now turn to their next game against DR Congo, which is scheduled for Wednesday, July 1. The fixture will be played in Atlanta with a 5pm UK time kick-off confirmed.
Get MEN Premium now for just £1 HERE – or get involved in our United WhatsApp group by clicking HERE. You can also join our United Facebook page by clicking HERE and don’t miss out on our brilliant selection of newsletters HERE.
Senegal had appeared likely to be England’s next opponents. But FIFA’s rule change for the 2026 World Cup means there are so many moving parts with only eight of the 12 third-placed teams progressing.
Newcastle forward Yoane Wissa scored twice as DR Congo beat Uzbekistan to progress to the knockout rounds and they will now face the Three Lions instead of Senegal.
England’s fixture is not the only one to have been confirmed, with all 16 round of 32 matches now finalised following the conclusion of the group stages.
A number of ties had already been rubber-stamped in the days prior to Saturday night’s fixtures, with co-hosts the United States set to come up against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Several other high-profile clashes are also on the horizon in the next round. These include Brazil vs Japan, France vs Sweden and the Netherlands vs Morocco.
Defending champions Argentina will go up against Cape Verde, while the Ivory Coast are set to take on Norway in the opening knockout round of the competition. England’s draw also sets up a potential last-16 encounter with the winners of the Mexico-Ecuador match, provided they progress past DR Congo.
There is also the possibility of a quarter-final showdown against Brazil, Ivory Coast, Japan or Norway.
Should Tuchel’s side advance that far, the Three Lions would then face a semi-final tie against one of Argentina, Cape Verde, Australia, Egypt, Switzerland, Algeria, Colombia or Ghana.
The full World Cup round of 32 draw
- South Africa vs Canada
- Germany vs Paraguay
- Netherlands vs Morocco
- Brazil vs Japan
- France vs Sweden
- Ivory Coast vs Norway
- Mexico vs Ecuador
- England vs DR Congo
- USA vs Bosnia & Herzegovina
- Belgium vs Senegal
- Portugal vs Croatia
- Spain vs Austria
- Switzerland vs Algeria
- Argentina vs Cape Verde
- Colombia vs Ghana
- Australia vs Egypt
Get the latest World Cup news straight to your inbox by signing up to our Make Football Great Again newsletter now!
Thousands of Man United fans upgraded their matchday last season. This is how they did it.
Official premium experiences at Old Trafford are available now for the 26/27 Premier League season. Make it easier than ever to turn a regular fixture into something genuinely unforgettable.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login