England will meet Croatia in a repeat of their 2018 semi-final during their opening World Cup match next summer after being placed in Group L alongside the Balkan nation.
Their group also includes Panama, whom England previously encountered at the 2018 tournament, and Ghana. Match locations and schedules will be revealed starting at 5pm GMT Saturday, with games divided between Dallas, Boston, New York/New Jersey, Philadelphia, and Toronto.
Croatia eliminated England 2-1 in extra time during the Russia World Cup, halting Gareth Southgate’s squad’s surprising progression. England decisively defeated Panama 6-1 in group-stage play that year but has never competed against Ghana at this level.
The draw ceremony in Washington DC, preceded by 90 minutes of introductory content, spanned over two hours and produced several competitive groups. Scotland will partly relive their last World Cup campaign after being grouped with Brazil, Morocco, and Haiti in Group C.
Group I stands out as potentially the toughest, featuring top-seeded France alongside Senegal, Norway's Erling Haaland, and a playoff qualifier. The United States was drawn against Australia, Paraguay, and a European playoff winner.
Marking the first 48-team format in the tournament’s 96-year history, the draw proved intricate and unfinished. FIFA’s recent ruling to shield its four highest-ranked teams—Spain, Argentina, France, and England—from facing each other before the semifinals added complexity.
The event culminated with FIFA awarding a peace prize to Donald Trump, representing “billions who cherish the game and desire peace.” Trump called it a profound honor, briefly praising World Cup ticket sales while adhering to his two-minute speaking limit.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino frequently appeared onstage, presenting the peace prize and facilitating a segment where leaders from the three host nations—Trump, Mexico’s Claudia Sheinbaum, and Canada’s Mark Carney—drew their own countries’ group placements. Infantino also appeared in a prerecorded segment alongside former England player Rio Ferdinand, who helped conduct the draw.
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