Review
England head into their final Group L match of the 2026 World Cup aiming to retain top spot against Panama after a disappointing goalless draw with Ghana.
Thomas Tuchelโs side continue to struggle in their second match of a major tournament. This is the fourth time in a row that the Three Lions have failed to win their second World Cup or EURO match.
A 0-0 draw with Ghana also saw England set an unwanted record. With a possession rate of up to 78.8%, they are the team with the highest possession rate in World Cup history but have failed to score.
He even nearly suffered defeat if VAR had not intervened after Ezri Konsa fouled Prince Kwabena Adu in the penalty area in the second half.
However, with a 4-2 win over Croatia in their opening match, England still have a big lead in the race for top spot in the group. A draw with Panama would be enough for Tuchelโs side to clinch a place in the knockout stages and top the group thanks to a better goal difference than Ghana and one point more than Croatia.
Being top of the table is also important as England will only have to face one of the third-placed teams with the best record in the round of 16. If they finish second, the Three Lions risk facing Cristiano Ronaldoโs Portugal straight into the play-off round.
In contrast, Panama officially exited the tournament after two straight defeats to Ghana and Croatia. The CONCACAF representatives no longer have a chance to compete for a place in the next round, with them trailing England and Ghana by four points and also losing to Croatia in head-to-head matches.
In the match with Croatia, Panama conceded only one goal from Ante Budimir. However, limited attacking ability continued to leave Thomas Christiansenโs side empty-handed.
This is only the second time Panama has participated in the World Cup. For the first time in 2018, they also stopped straight at the group stage with 3 defeats in a row, scoring 2 goals and conceding 11 times.
Before the 2026 World Cup, Panama had scored in 11 of their last 12 matches in all competitions, but had failed to score in both of their opening Group L matches.
History was also not on Panamaโs side, with the two sidesโ only World Cup meeting ending in a 6-1 win for England at the 2018 tournament.
Personnel situation
Englandโs final Group L match against Panama is likely to see some personnel adjustments as Tuchel faces personnel issues.
Reece James has a hamstring problem and will miss a number of matches. In the absence of Chelsea defender Jed Spence is likely to move to the right flank, with Nico OโReilly given the opportunity to start at left-back.
As for Panama, Thomas Christiansen continues to have headaches over the power issue. Key midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla is still recovering from a groin injury, while captain Anibal Godoy has only played one minute since the start of the tournament because he is not in the best physical shape.
Expected lineup:
Mosquera, Murillo, Cordoba, Ramos, Andrade, Blackman, Martinez, Barcenas, Harvey, Rodriguez, Fajardo.
Pickford, Spence Guehi, Konsa, OโReilly, Mainu, Anderson, Maduek, Bellingham, Rashford, Kane.
The match between Panama and England will take place on June 28 at 4:00 (Vietnam time).