England eye top spot in Group L against an eliminated Panama
England close out their group stage against a Panama side already heading home. Top spot is there for the taking, but Thomas Tuchel will want a sharper display than the one that drew a blank against Ghana.
Jun 27, 2026
England arrive at their final Group L fixture in a comfortable spot, but not yet a settled one. A win over an already eliminated Panama at MetLife Stadium would guarantee top place in the group and the cleaner knockout route that comes with it. Even a draw would be enough to carry Thomas Tuchel’s side into the round of 32. The kick-off is set for 2:30am IST on Sunday, with the Croatia versus Ghana game running at the same time and shaping everything around England.
Where the group stands
England sit on four points after two matches. They opened with a 4-2 win over Croatia in which Harry Kane scored twice, including a penalty, before Jude Bellingham and substitute Marcus Rashford finished the job. The second outing was a flatter affair, a goalless draw with Ghana that did little to quieten the questions around this team. Ghana also have four points, Croatia have three, and Panama have none after losing 1-0 to Ghana and then 1-0 to Croatia.
The maths is straightforward for England. Beat Panama and they top the group regardless of what happens between Croatia and Ghana. A draw still sees them through. Even a defeat would most likely leave them advancing on four points, either as runners-up or among the better third-placed sides in the expanded 48-team format. The incentive on the night is position rather than survival, and position matters when the round of 32 bracket starts to fill in.
Tuchel still searching for fluency
The draw with Ghana was the kind of performance that gets filed away and brought back up if results turn. England had the ball and the territory but rarely the final pass. Anthony Gordon and Noni Madueke struggled to make the wide areas count, and the link between Bellingham and Kane never properly clicked. For a squad with this much attacking talent, one goalless half after another against a deep defence is the sort of pattern Tuchel will want broken before the knockouts.
Panama, for all that they are out, will not simply roll over. Thomas Christiansen’s side have spent the group defending in numbers and looking to frustrate, and they pushed both Ghana and Croatia close before conceding once in each. England will need patience and movement rather than force. The last time these teams met at a World Cup, in 2018, England ran out 6-1 winners, but that scoreline says more about that afternoon than about what to expect here.
What England need from the night
Beyond the result, this is a chance for Tuchel to find some rhythm. A clean performance, a couple of early goals and a settled shape would do more for England’s mood than the bare three points. Topping the group would also let them sidestep some of the heavier hitters in the next round, which is no small thing in a tournament where the bracket has thrown up plenty of awkward early ties. England should win this. The more interesting question is whether they look like a side ready for the knockouts when they do.