With the World Cup 2026 draw approaching, anticipation is building to see who England will face in the group stage of the expanded 48-team tournament. Having secured their place with a dominant qualifying campaign, winning every game and not conceding a single goal, the Three Lions, led by Thomas Tuchel, are among the favorites.

As a top-ranked team, England is in Pot 1 for the draw. This guarantees they will avoid other footballing powerhouses such as Argentina, France, Spain, Brazil, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium and Germany in the group stage. Also, England will not face the other host nations Mexico, Canada and the USA in the group stage.

However, England will face a team from Pot 2, which contains strong contenders like Croatia and Morocco, both of whom reached the semi-finals in recent World Cups. Other potential opponents from Pot 2 include Colombia, Uruguay, and Ecuador from South America, as well as Switzerland.

Based on FIFA rules, there is a limit of two European teams per group. This restricts England from being drawn with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Several scenarios could unfold for England. A potentially difficult group could see them drawn with Colombia, Egypt, and Italy. A more favorable outcome might pair them with Australia, South Africa, and New Caledonia.

Other possible opponents from Pot 3 include Iran, Senegal, Japan, and South Korea. Austria could be a potential opponent from Pot 2.

The draw introduces a level of unpredictability, but the seeding system ensures England will avoid the top-ranked teams until the knockout stages. This could pave the way for a smoother path to the later stages of the tournament, provided they navigate their group successfully.