England head stateside to compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup and enter as one of the favourites to lift the trophy at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 19th.
The competition starts on June 11, featuring 48 teams, with matches played across the United States, Canada and Mexico. England have been placed in Group L and will face regular nemesis Croatia, Ghana and Panama, with all the games taking place in the USA.
Below give you all the information so you can follow the Three Lions and Thomas Tuchel tries to lead his men to World Cup glory.
England's World Cup Schedule - Group Matches (UK time)
June 17 - 21:00 - England v Croatia - Arlington, Texas
June 23 - 21:00 - England v Ghana - Foxborough, Massachusetts
June 27 - 22:00 - Panama v England - East Rutherford, New Jersey
England’s Stadiums, Cities & Base Camp
England will be based at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, Missouri, for the duration of the tournament. The team will travel from here for all their matches, starting with their match against Croatia in Dallas on June 17th. The match will take place at the AT&T Stadium, which is the home ground of the Dallas Cowboys.
The next match will be in Boston, Massachusetts, on June 23 against Ghana, before the final games against Panama at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
The journey time on average from Kansas to fly to each is:
1 hour 10 minutes to Arlington
3 hours 15 minutes to Foxborough
2 hours 55 minutes to East Rutherford
England’s Potential Knockout Ties
Thomas Tuchel’s side can qualify from Group L in one of three ways: They can win the group, come runners-up, or be one of the best-placed third-placed teams. This new format is in place as the number of teams has increased from 32 to 48.
If England come through as winners, their round of 32 match will be:
Wednesday, July 1, 17:00 – v 3rd Place Team from Group E/H/I/J/K (Atlanta, Georgia)
If they are runners-up, they will play:
Friday, July 3, 00:00 – v Group K Runners-up (Toronto, Canada)
If they are one of the best third-placed teams, they will play:
Saturday, July 4, 02:30 - v Group K winners (Kansas, Missouri)
In Group K, which it seems will be the likely opponents in the first knockout rounds, are Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, and the inter-confederation play-off 1 winner (DR Congo, Jamaica, or New Caledonia).
Where and When to Watch
All England games will be shown on either ITV or the BBC.
ITV will show England’s first match of the tournament against Croatia, and England’s final group-stage match against Panama.
The BBC will be showing England’s group-stage match against Ghana, and England’s knockout games - if they progress - in the round of 32, the round of 16, and the semi-final.
Both channels will show the final.
FAQ
What group is England in for the 2026 World Cup?
England are in Group L
What time is England vs Croatia kicking off in the UK?
England vs Croatia kicks off at 21:00 in the UK/15:00 in Dallas
Where are England playing their group matches in 2026?
England's group matches are being played in Arlington, Texas (Croatia); Foxborough, Massachusetts (Ghana); East Rutherford, New Jersey (Panama).
Will England's World Cup games be on BBC or ITV?
England's games will be shared between the channels. England's first and third group games are on ITV, with the second group game and the potential knockout ties from the round of 32 to the semi-finals on the BBC.
How many teams qualify from England's group?
The top two teams will definitely qualify, but the team in third could also qualify if they are one of the eight best-placed third-placed teams.
Who could England play in the Round of 32?
England are most likely to play a team from Group K (Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, and the inter-confederation play-off 1 winner (DR Congo, Jamaica, or New Caledonia)), but could also play a best-third placed team from Group E/H/I/J/K if they are Group L winners.