England’s goalless draw with Ghana has left their potential journey through the World Cup knockout stages uncertain.

The Three Lions would have guaranteed first place in Group L had they secured a win in Boston, but Carlos Queiroz’s side held firm for a 0-0 result.

That outcome means both teams now sit on four points heading into their final group matches at the 2026 World Cup, with England occupying the top spot by virtue of a one-goal superior goal difference.

The Three Lions will next take to the field on Saturday when they meet already-eliminated Panama in New Jersey at 10 pm BST, while Ghana play Croatia in Philadelphia at the same time.

England will retain first place if they beat Panama, unless they win by at least two fewer goals than Ghana. For example, if England win 1-0 and Ghana beat Croatia 3-0, Ghana would move ahead on goal difference, leaving England second in the group.

Should Thomas Tuchel’s men finish as runners-up in Group L, their possible route to the final would change significantly.

In that scenario, England’s round-of-32 match would take place at midnight BST on Friday, 3 July, in Toronto against the runners-up from Group K. As the situation stands, that would mean a clash with Portugal, who feature several Premier League stars such as Bruno Fernandes and Ruben Dias, along with the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo.

If England progress from that match, they would play their last-16 fixture at 8 pm BST on Monday, 6 July, in Dallas — the same venue where they defeated Croatia 4-2 in their opening game. Their opponents would be either the Group H winners or the Group J runners-up, which currently are Spain — the team that beat England in the Euro 2024 final — and Austria, respectively.

That path already looks demanding, but if Tuchel’s squad reach the quarter-finals, they would then head to Los Angeles for an 8 pm BST kick-off on Friday, 10 July.

On paper, their last-eight fixture could appear relatively favourable, with the winners of Groups D and G among the possible matchups. Co-hosts United States have already secured top spot in Group D, while Egypt lead Group G and will remain first if they defeat Iran in their final group match.

Looking further ahead, England’s semi-final would then be played in Dallas on Tuesday, 14 July. If they had topped the group and progressed to the last four, that clash would instead take place in Atlanta on Wednesday, 15 July. As things currently stand, potential semi-final opponents include France, Germany, and the Netherlands.

Regardless of earlier results, the World Cup final is set for 8 pm BST on Sunday, 19 July, in New Jersey. Should England reach that stage for the first time since their historic 1966 triumph, they will back themselves to overcome any opponent.

With the timing and location of England’s knockout matches dependent on their group position, England supporters travelling across North America might prefer to hold off on confirming their plans until Saturday’s decisive game concludes.