England are through to the quarter-finals of the World Cup, and fans will have to update their wall charts. This article will give an insight into the Three Lions' path to the final. Of course, it will depend on results, and there are sure to be surprises along the way. England face the dark horse Norway next. Should they progress, Thomas Tuchel's side could play Argentina in the semi-finals and then potentially France in the final.
England's updated route to the World Cup final
The Three Lions will play their quarter-final match with Norway this weekend. If they can get past Erling Haaland and co. then England will face either Argentina or Switzerland in the semi-finals.
Norway booked their tie with England after a shock 2-1 victory over Brazil. Argentina needed a late comeback against Egypt to make it to the quarter-finals. Switzerland edged out Colombia on penalties.
England's quarter-final opponent
This is Norway's first World Cup since 1998, but they are considered a dark horse as they have the likes of Haaland and Martin Odegaard.
The Norwegians finished second in their group behind France. They lost 4-1 to Les Bleus, but this was a match in which Norway had rested many of their top players, as they were already through to the knockout stages. Ståle Solbakken's side had already defeated Iraq 4-1 and Senegal 3-2.
Norway then beat Ivory Coast in the round of 32, before their surprise win over Brazil. Haaland scored twice against the Brazilians, and he now has seven goals at the tournament. Their other star player, Odegaard, has made three assists so far.
England will still be the favorites against Norway, and the match will take place at Miami Stadium on July 11, at 10 pm BST.
Who England could face in the semi-finals
If England defeats Norway, then they will face either Argentina or Switzerland in the semi-finals. Argentina are the defending champions, but they looked like they were going out in the round of 16.
Lionel Scaloni's side was trailing Egypt 3-2 with just over 10 minutes of normal time to go. Goals from Cristian Romero, Lionel Messi and Enzo Fernández sealed a late comeback victory. In the round of 32, Argentina just edged out Cape Verde after extra time by the same scoreline.
There have been many feisty encounters between England and Argentina at previous World Cups. In 1986, Diego Maradona scored his 'Hand of God' goal in a 2-1 win for La Albiceleste. However, England avenged this defeat thanks to a David Beckham penalty at the 2002 tournament.
Switzerland defeated Algeria 2-0 in the round of 16 before taking on Colombia. Their tie with the South American side finished 0-0 after extra time, and the Swiss won 4-3 in the shootout.
Potential opponents in the World Cup final
The teams on the opposite side of England's bracket are France, Morocco, Spain, and Belgium. All of which are capable of making the final. Morocco made it to the semi-finals of the last World Cup and will be looking to go one better.
France lost in the 2022 final to Argentina and will be the favorites to get to the final on that side of the draw. Spain won Euro 2024, and their squad largely remains the same from that tournament. Belgium have just registered a statement 4-1 win over the co-hosts, the United States.
Spain and France will be the favorites to reach the final. France defeated England in the quarter-finals of the last World Cup. In the Euros final two years ago, Spain got the better of the Three Lions.
Potential finalist | Tournament status |
|---|---|
France | Favorite |
Spain | Close favorite |
Morocco | Dark horse |
Belgium | Dark horse |
 England's results at the 2026 World Cup so far
England started the tournament well with a high-scoring victory over Croatia. However, this was followed by a drab draw with Ghana. The Three Lions then had a routine win over Panama. They then edged out DR Congo in the round of 32, before a dramatic triumph over Mexico at the Azteca.
Harry Kane has already scored six goals in the tournament and has a chance to claim the Golden Boot. Jude Bellingham has also shone for the Three Lions, with four goals and one assist so far. Jordan Pickford made some crucial saves against Mexico and has a shout at winning the Golden Glove.
Round | Score |
|---|---|
Group Stage | England 4-2 Croatia |
Group Stage | England 0-0 Ghana |
Group Stage | Panama 0-2 England |
Round of 32 | England 2-1 DR Congo |
Round of 16 | Mexico 2-3 England |
Can England reach the World Cup final?
The match with Norway will be tough, and fans will hope the Three Lions have not peaked too soon after defeating Mexico. If they are to face Argentina in the semi-finals, then it would be a fiery affair. There is a big rivalry between the two nations because of the Falklands War.
Argentina have not been convincing in the tournament so far after narrowly scraping past Egypt in the round of 16. Scaloni's side will have to get past Switzerland first. England would be the favorites to beat the Swiss if they are to be their opponents in the semi-finals.
Each country's route to the final, or if they are going home, will be updated when the results come in.
Add us as a preferred source on Google