England drawn against DR Congo in World Cup round of 32 after FIFA reshuffle

England will face DR Congo in the round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup after FIFA’s revised bracket format reshuffled the knockout-stage draw, with the Atlanta fixture confirmed for Wednesday, July 1 at 5pm UK time.

Thomas Tuchel’s side finished the group stage unbeaten, topping Group L on seven points following a draw with Ghana and victories over Croatia and Panama. A 2-0 win over Panama in their final group match confirmed their place at the summit.

Senegal had appeared the likely opponents heading into the final round of group fixtures, but FIFA’s new format for the expanded 48-team tournament means only eight of the 12 third-placed sides advance, creating significant movement in the bracket. DR Congo ultimately claimed their spot after Newcastle forward Yoane Wissa scored twice in a win over Uzbekistan.

Victory over DR Congo would set up a potential last-16 meeting with the winners of the Mexico vs Ecuador tie. Should England progress further, a quarter-final against Brazil, Ivory Coast, Japan or Norway is possible, with a semi-final path that could include Argentina, Colombia, Switzerland or Algeria.

All 16 round of 32 fixtures are now confirmed. Co-hosts the United States will face Bosnia and Herzegovina, while defending champions Argentina take on Cape Verde. Other high-profile ties include Brazil vs Japan, France vs Sweden, and the Netherlands vs Morocco.

Full World Cup round of 32 draw

South Africa vs Canada; Germany vs Paraguay; Netherlands vs Morocco; Brazil vs Japan; France vs Sweden; Ivory Coast vs Norway; Mexico vs Ecuador; England vs DR Congo; USA vs Bosnia & Herzegovina; Belgium vs Senegal; Portugal vs Croatia; Spain vs Austria; Switzerland vs Algeria; Argentina vs Cape Verde; Colombia vs Ghana; Australia vs Egypt.