England through to World Cup last 32 before Panama finale

England are confirmed in the World Cup last 32 before playing Panama in their final Group L match. Four points from two games are enough to guarantee at least one of the best third-place spots, with Uruguay’s defeat by Spain sealing their progress.

Thomas Tuchel’s side opened with a 4-2 win over Croatia and then drew 0-0 with Ghana. England currently lead Group L, but Ghana are also on four points and face Croatia at the same time as England’s match against Panama on Saturday.

If England stay top, their last-32 opponent will come from the pool of qualified third-placed teams, with DR Congo, Senegal, Austria, Algeria and even Portugal all mentioned in the conditional routes. If England slip to second, the current scenario points toward the second-placed side in Group K, while finishing third would send them toward the Group K winners.

There is also a squad-management angle for Tuchel. Reece James is set to miss the Panama match with a hamstring issue, while Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson are reported as available, giving England options as they balance momentum with knockout-round preparation.