With a win over Panama on Saturday, England won World Cup Group L and officially clinched their spot in the World Cup knockout stage. England entered the group as the favorite to win, and finished with seven points — a 2-1-0 record.
England will play either Senegal or DR Congo in their first knockout stage match in the Round of 32, depending on the outcome of the DR Congo game vs. Uzbekistan today.
The matchup has also set up England’s path to the World Cup Final, although a few questions remain — so England fans should stay tuned for updates here tonight.
Below, find out who England is playing next in the World Cup knockout stage, plus their potential opponents in the World Cup bracket, including Brazil and Argentina.
Once you know England’s path in the bracket, head to PrizePicks Team Picks to make picks on England to qualify through the World Cup bracket!
Make England Knockout Stage Predictions on PrizePicks to earn real money — including how far the Three Lions will go!
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Is England Through to the Knockout Stage in the World Cup?
Yes, England has officially qualified for the World Cup knockout stage as the winner of Group L, now set to face a third-place qualifying team in the Round of 32.
England will play either Senegal or DR Congo (if they defeat Uzbekistan) on Wednesday, July 1, at 12 p.m. ET at Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta Stadium) in Atlanta.
The Three Lions’ quadrant of the bracket includes Brazil, Mexico, Ecuador, and Ivory Coast as potential opponents; a win in the Round of 16 would match them up with Mexico or Ecuador.
As for the semifinals, England’s most likely opponents would be Argentina or Portugal/Colombia — depending on which team wins Group K finale at 7:30 p.m. ET in Miami.
See the full World Cup bracket as it stands HERE! — including a printable bracket
Who Will England Play Next in Round of 32? Senegal or DR Congo
As of writing, England is most likely to play Senegal in the Round of 32, but could also play DR Congo if they win vs. Uzbekistan today at 7:30 p.m. ET. By the end of the next set of games (7:30 p.m. ET), we will have an official answer on who England will play next in the Round of 32.
World Cup Predictor projects Senegal has a 70% chance to be England’s opponent in the Round of 32, while DR Congo has a 29% chance, based on match simulations.
Senegal qualified as a third-place finisher with a 5-0 win vs. Iraq on Friday — their only result of the group stage. Senegal is ranked #18 in the FIFA rankings, and #21 in our World Cup power rankings.
DR Congo only has 1 point in the group stage — from a 1-1 draw with Portugal, but has also only allowed two goals in two games. DR Congo would be the easier matchup for England on paper, as they are ranked No. 36 in our World Cup power rankings, and No. 46 by FIFA.
No matter who they play, England is a massive favorite to advance to the Round of 16 in the World Cup, with a 1.2x payout on Yes to advance on PrizePicks Team Picks.
England is also a favorite to advance to the quarterfinals, per PrizePicks, with a 1.58x payout to advance vs. Mexico/Ecuador; only France and Spain have a higher implied chance to make the final eight among all teams.
Make England Knockout Stage Predictions on PrizePicks to earn real money — including how far they will go!
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Making the semifinals is where it could get tougher for England, as they’ll have to go through Brazil or Mexico.
That said, as of writing before the Portugal-Colombia game, England has the highest implied chance to advance to the semifinals in their quadrant of the bracket, with a 2.56x payout.
Make World Cup Round of 32 Predictions on PrizePicks
The 2026 World Cup group stage is coming to a close, and that means the 32-team knockout stage is just around the corner.
The World Cup is about to shift to the win-or-go-home stage of the tournament, and England will soon find out their first World Cup knockout stage opponent later today.
You can make your World Cup predictions on how far England or other teams will advance in the knockout stage bracket on PrizePicks Team Picks — available in 35 states!
Stay locked in on Playbook for daily World Cup 2026 predictions, picks, news, and analysis as the knockout stage takes shape.
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