England manager Thomas Tuchel has admitted his side face a stern test after being handed a difficult 2026 World Cup group featuring Croatia, Ghana, and Panama.
A Challenging Opening Awaits
The draw for next summer's finals in North America placed England in Group L, setting up a high-profile opening match against Croatia on June 17. The fixture will be played in either Toronto or Dallas, with FIFA set to confirm the exact location and kick-off times.
Speaking to the BBC, Tuchel was quick to highlight the scale of the task. "Difficult group, difficult opener," he stated. "Difficult group with Croatia and Ghana, two regulars in World Cups and two proud and strong nations." He added that while he knows less about Panama currently, his team will be fully prepared for them before the tournament begins.
Respect for All Opponents
Croatia represent a particularly formidable hurdle, having beaten England in the 2018 semi-final before reaching the final, and progressing to the last four again in Qatar 2022. They were the highest-ranked team England could have drawn from pot two.
"Nobody should be underestimated," Tuchel emphasised. "Ghana is always full of talent and can always surprise and has a big history in World Cup football. Panama will try to make the most in their underdog role. No one can be underestimated, everyone deserves the fullest respect and we can show that."
England have previous with Panama, thrashing them 6-1 in the 2018 group stage, but have never faced Ghana in a competitive match.
Knockout Path and Home Nations' Fate
Thanks to a new Wimbledon-style seeding system introduced by FIFA, England's potential route is favourable. If they win Group L, they will avoid Spain, Argentina, and France until the semi-finals and final respectively, provided those nations also top their groups. Their round of 32 match would be against a third-place team in Atlanta on July 1.
The draw also set the challenges for the other home nations. Scotland face a daunting Group C with five-time champions Brazil, 2022 semi-finalists Morocco, and Haiti. Their first match is against Haiti on June 13.
The Republic of Ireland, if they navigate March's play-offs, would join co-hosts Mexico, South Korea, and South Africa in Group A. Wales or Northern Ireland could head to Group B with co-hosts Canada, Qatar, and Switzerland, but must first win their play-off ties.
