England will not face France until the World Cup final, should both teams advance that far, thanks to FIFA's seeding system. The draw for the 2026 tournament, to be held across the United States, Canada and Mexico, takes place on Friday.
FIFA has adopted a Wimbledon-style seeding for the expanded 48-team tournament, keeping the top four nations in the world rankings apart until the semi-finals. Spain (ranked first) and Argentina (second) will be placed in opposite pathways, as will France (third) and England (fourth). This means the Three Lions and Les Bleus cannot meet before the final.
England qualified automatically after topping their group with a perfect record of eight wins, 22 goals scored and none conceded. Thomas Tuchel's side will enter the tournament as one of the favourites, with the German manager aiming to deliver England's first World Cup since 1966.
Tuchel acknowledged the competition for places in the 26-man squad remains open. Speaking before England's final qualifiers, he said: 'I have a settled mind but I will also be open because I know anything can happen. The final nomination is only in May and until then, anything can happen.'
