England will discover their World Cup round of 32 opponents after tonight's match against Panama, with five possible teams in contention depending on the Three Lions' final position in Group L.
England's Group L Standings
England currently lead Group L following a 4-2 victory over Croatia and a 0-0 draw with Ghana. The result in Boston on Tuesday, combined with Croatia's win over Panama, ensures England cannot finish lower than third and are already guaranteed at least a place among the best third-placed teams.
FIFA's tiebreaker rules, which prioritise head-to-head record over goal difference, put England in a strong position to win the group. A victory over Panama, coupled with matching or bettering Ghana's result against Croatia, would confirm top spot. However, Ghana could still top the group if they beat Croatia and England fail to win by a sufficient margin.
Potential Last-32 Opponents
If England win Group L, they will face one of the best third-placed teams from Groups E, H, I, J, or K. Current standings suggest Senegal are the most likely opponents, with DR Congo also a strong possibility. Algeria remain an outside contender.
Portugal were initially projected as England's opponents after Cristiano Ronaldo inspired a 5-0 win over Uzbekistan, but the Euro 2016 champions now sit second in Group K with a superior goal difference to DR Congo.
Alternative Scenarios
Should England finish as runners-up in Group L, they would face the second-placed team from Group K, currently predicted to be Colombia. Portugal also remain a possibility in this scenario.
In the unlikely event that England qualify as one of the best third-placed teams, they would meet the winners of Group K, again likely Colombia or Portugal.
England's only World Cup final appearance remains the 1966 triumph, and manager Thomas Tuchel will hope to guide the team to a second gold star next month.
