England's 2026 World Cup Gauntlet: Cape Verde, Scotland... Then the Real Trouble

Sky Sports reckons England gets a leg up, courtesy of FIFA’s new Wimbledon-style seeding system. The pitch? No Spain or Argentina before the semi-finals, no France before the final. That’s if all those supposed titans actually win their groups. A big 'if,' always.

So, let's say England does top Group L. Their knockout path? Not exactly a stroll in the park, but it could be worse. The Last 16, on Wednesday, July 1st in Atlanta, probably brings a third-place side from Groups E, H, I, J, or K. Most likely Cape Verde, if the rankings hold up. Easy. Maybe. Then, a quarter-final clash on Monday, July 6th in Mexico City. Could be Mexico. Or, and this would be a laugh, Scotland. A Home Nations dust-up? That would be spicy. After that, the real tests begin. Brazil likely awaits in a semi-final on Saturday, July 11th in Miami. Win that, and it's probably Argentina on Wednesday, July 15th in Atlanta. Survive that gauntlet, and Spain is your projected opponent in the final on Sunday, July 19th at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. A brutal run, but at least the giants are staggered.

Finish second in Group L, though? That’s where the wheels come off fast. Portugal could be waiting in the Last 16. Spain, potentially, in the quarter-finals. France in the semis. Argentina for the final itself. Talk about jumping straight into the fire.

There’s another messy path if they just scrape second in a different configuration. That could mean Colombia in the Last 16, Belgium in the quarters. Argentina again in the semi-finals, then Brazil before a final against Spain. Bottom line: finish second and you're looking at a brutal slog from day one.

The grand finale is set for Sunday, July 19th, at the New York-New Jersey MetLife Stadium. Kick-off is 8pm local time, Sky Sports confirms. Mark your calendars.