Factbox-World Cup 2026: teams qualified, key players and fixtures

June 11 (Reuters) – The 2026 edition of the World Cup will be co-hosted by Mexico, the United States and Canada. The tournament, expanded from 32 to 48 teams and played across 16 cities, takes place from June 11 to July 19.

Here is a breakdown of the teams taking part, their path to the tournament and some key names to watch.

GROUP A

MEXICO

A third-time World Cup host, Mexico qualified automatically and will play the inaugural game against South Africa at the Azteca Stadium, a replay of the match that kicked off the 2010 tournament in the African nation.

Coach Javier Aguirre will be relying on a balance of youth and experience, with Fulham striker Raul Jimenez and veteran goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa joined by 17-year-old Tijuana midfielder Gilberto Mora, the youngest player of the tournament, as they seek to go past quarter-finals, their best result so far.

With his inclusion in the squad, Ochoa will have taken part in six World Cups, a record he will share with Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentina’s Lionel Messi.

SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa, despite being stripped three points in their qualifying campaign for fielding an ineligible player, made it to the World Cup for the first time since 2010 after a 3-0 victory against Rwanda in October 2025.

This will be the fourth World Cup participation for Bafana Bafana, “The Boys” in Zulu language, who are yet to get past the group stage.

Orlando Pirates winger Relebohile Mofokeng, one of the most exciting talents of his team, will be one to watch.

SOUTH KOREA

South Korea steamrolled opponents on the way to their 11th consecutive World Cup since 1986.

After beating Iraq in June 2025, South Korea cemented their place at this edition with a comfortable 6-point lead on runners-up Jordan with one game to spare in the final qualifying stage.

The team, who achieved their best result as co-hosts of the 2002 tournament with a fourth place, will be relying on the likes of Paris Saint-Germain’s Kang-in Lee and former Tottenham Hotspurs skipper Heung-Min Son.

CZECH REPUBLIC 

Czech Republic secured their spot via two dramatic rounds of penalties in the European qualifications, upsetting Ireland and Denmark, after a second-place in the group stage behind Croatia forced them through the arduous play-offs path.

Czech Republic, twice runners-up over the past century when competing as Czechoslovakia, did not manage to go past the group stage in 2006, their only World Cup participation since splitting from Slovakia.

The team will be relying on experienced players like Leverkusen’s Patrik Schick, West Ham’s Tomas Soucek and Lyon’s Pavel Sulc to fight for a spot in the next stage.

GROUP A FIXTURES 

Mexico v South Africa, June 11, 1900 GMT

South Korea v Czech Republic, June 12, 0200 GMT

Czech Republic v South Africa, June 18, 1600 GMT 

Mexico v South Korea, June 19, 0100 GMT 

Czech Republic v Mexico, June 25, 0100 GMT 

South Africa v South Korea, June 25, 0100 GMT 

GROUP B

CANADA

Canada qualified as the hosts, their third time in the contest after 1986 and 2022 with no wins or draws to their name.

Canada enter the competition with what is widely considered their strongest squad ever, spearheaded by Bayern winger Alphonso Davies, recovering from a hamstring injury, and Juventus striker Jonathan David, ready to bounce back after his bitter-sweet first season in Italy.

The Maple Leafs, helped by the backing of home fans, have what it takes to secure their first-ever victory in a World Cup, and maybe also to claim entry to the next round.

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA

Bosnia clinched their spot with a penalty shootout triumph over four-time champions Italy on March 31.

Edin Dzeko is their most-capped player and all-time leading goalscorer. The 40-year-old, who plays for Schalke 04, was part of their only previous World Cup appearance in 2014, as was Atalanta defender Sead Kolasinac.

Coach Sergej Barbarez picked a blend of experience and youth, including emerging talents such as center-back Tarik Muharemovic, and an emphasis on the wings where Kerim Alajbegovic, set to rejoin Leverkusen, and PSV’s Esmir Bajraktarevic are expected to play key roles.

QATAR

Qatar secured their place through the Asian qualifying rounds, marking their first appearance via qualification after debuting as hosts in 2022.

Coach Julen Lopetegui, appointed in 2025 and a former head coach of Spain, has overseen a transition aimed at building greater balance, with Hassan Al-Haydos as captain and striker Almoez Ali leading the scoring charts.

The squad features a core group of players with experience from the 2022 campaign, during which they finished at the bottom of the group without earning a point.

SWITZERLAND

Switzerland finished top of their qualifying group, heading into their sixth successive World Cup, building on recent momentum that included a run to the quarter-finals of the Euro 2024 tournament.

Coach Murat Yakin, in charge since 2021, has built a side around captain Granit Xhaka and Remo Freuler, while forward Breel Embolo provides the main attacking threat after finishing as the team’s top scorer in qualifying.

Eyes are also on Nottingham Forest’s Dan Ndoye and Leeds United’s Noah Okafor, as the team target the top spot in their group. They retain a strong core of experienced players, many of whom featured in the 2022 campaign, where Switzerland exited in the round of 16 against Portugal.

GROUP B FIXTURES

Canada v Bosnia and Herzegovina, June 12, 1900 GMT

Qatar v Switzerland, June 13, 1900 GMT

Switzerland v Bosnia and Herzegovina, June 18, 1900 GMT

Canada v Qatar, June 18, 2200 GMT

Switzerland v Canada, June 24, 1900 GMT

Bosnia and Herzegovina v Qatar, June 24, 1900 GMT

GROUP C

BRAZIL

With five titles, Brazil are the most decorated nation in World Cup history. However, their most recent triumph came nearly 25 years ago, and after an underwhelming qualification campaign, Fifa ranks Carlo Ancelotti’s side below Argentina and their top European rivals.

Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr and Barcelona’s Raphinha lead a star-studded front line that will take on Africa Cup of Nations winners Morocco in their first game on June 13.

MOROCCO

The Atlas Lions strolled through qualification picking up maximum points. They have since lost a tense Afcon final to Senegal, only to be awarded the title two months later.

Semi-finalists at Qatar’s 2022 World Cup, Morocco is the highest ranked team from Africa and have a strong chance of reaching the knockout stages, led by captain and Paris Saint-Germain star Achraf Hakimi.

HAITI 

The Grenadiers are playing at their first World Cup since 1974 and come into the group as underdogs. They enter the championships as the second lowest ranked team by Fifa, only ahead of New Zealand.

Head coach since June 2024, Sebastien Migne has never entered Haiti due to instability in the country. Star player Duckens Nazon also faced a turbulent buildup to the tournament after being held in Iran, where he plays club football, following the outbreak of the war.

SCOTLAND 

Coach Steve Clarke is counting on experience as Scotland head to their first World Cup this century. Full-back Andy Robertson has won Premier League and Champions League titles with Liverpool, while Napoli’s Scott McTominay scored a sublime overhead kick against Denmark to secure their qualification as group winners. 

Progression to the knockout round looks tough given Scotland line up against Brazil and Morocco, but a third-place finish might be enough to secure a route past the group stage.

GROUP C FIXTURES 

Brazil v Morocco, June 13, 2200 GMT 

Haiti v Scotland, June 14, 0100 GMT  

Scotland v Morocco, June 19 22:00 GMT 

Brazil v Haiti, June 19, 0030 GMT 

Scotland v Brazil, June 24, 22:00 GMT 

Morocco v Haiti, June 24, 22:00 GMT

GROUP D

UNITED STATES

Second-time hosts after 1994, the United States qualified automatically and will open their campaign against Paraguay in Los Angeles.

The U.S. head into the World Cup with perhaps higher stakes than any other team, as a deep run could accelerate the sport’s growth in the country while an early exit from a favourable group threatens to stall years of progress.

Counting Chicago-born Pope Leo among their supporters, the Stars and Stripes will be relying on AC Milan striker Christian Pulisic to advance to the knockout stage, hoping to match their best placement—a distant third place in the first-ever World Cup in 1930.

PARAGUAY

Paraguay’s remarkable qualifying campaign saw them climb from the bottom of the standings, a nine-match unbeaten run and victories over Brazil and Argentina that brought them a sixth-place finish, the last team to automatically qualify from South America.

Argentine manager Gustavo Alfaro has won over players and fans with a strategy rooted in psychology, urging players to rediscover the “grit” long associated with Paraguay and to believe they can compete with powerhouse teams, echoing the historic 2010 campaign where they reached the quarter-finals.

AUSTRALIA

Short on star power but always up for a fight, Australia head to the World Cup eyeing another trip to the knockout rounds. The Aussies reached the last 16 for the second time in Qatar four years ago, matching their best result from 2006.

With the benefit of an expanded 48-team tournament, qualification was a relative breeze for the Socceroos, whose roster is laden with World Cup debutants and rising talents like strikers Irankunda and Mohamed Toure.

TURKEY

Turkey earned their qualification with a series of narrow wins, emerging victorious from their European play-off bracket and returning to the World Cup for the first time in 24 years, fuelled by memories of their run to the semi-finals in 2002.

Built around a slew of Europe-based players, including Inter’s Hakan Calhanoglu and Real Madrid’s Arda Guler, Turkish fans believe the team could become the country’s strongest in decades, although doubts over consistency and big-match temperament persist.

GROUP D FIXTURES

United States v Paraguay, June 13, 0100 GMT 

Australia v Turkey, June 14, 0400 GMT 

United States v Australia, June 19, 1900 GMT 

Turkey v Paraguay, June 20, 0300 GMT 

Turkey v Unites States, June 26, 0200 GMT 

Paraguay v Australia, June 26, 0200 GMT

GROUP E

GERMANY

Julian Nagelsmann’s side cleared their path to the tournament with five out of six wins, succumbing only to Slovakia in their first-ever away loss in a World Cup qualifier.

Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer came back from international retirement at 40 to play at his fifth World Cup, as the four-time world champions seek redemption after a nine-year title-drought, having failed to exit group stage in the last two World Cups.

Worth keeping an eye on are also Florian Wirtz, who moved to Liverpool last summer and wants to redeem his lacklustre season at Anfield, and Neuer’s Bayern teammate Jamal Musiala.

CURAÇAO

The Curaçaoans came through a challenging qualification campaign, ultimately securing their ticket in a tense 101-minute match against group runners-up Jamaica, which ended in a draw after a stoppage-time penalty awarded to their opponents was overturned by VAR.

The self-governing nation of around 150,000 is the smallest country to ever qualify for the tournament. Led by Dutch coach Dick Advocaat, the Blue Wave are due to make history as they fight for their first World Cup points.

ECUADOR

Ecuadorians pulled off an impressive feat, finishing second in the qualification table against three multiple world champions – Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay – which included toppling the reigning titleholders in a gripping 1-0 victory.

Across 18 qualification matches, La Tri conceded five goals and lost only twice, relying on stalwart defence and counterattacks. Their best World Cup result so far was the round of 16 in 2006.

COTE D’IVOIRE

The Ivorians swept past the opposition without losing a single match or conceding a goal in the African qualifiers, heading off to North America as the undisputed leaders with eight wins and two draws.

Les Éléphants, guided by Emerse Faé, are eager to wash away the bitter aftertaste left by a disappointing title defence at the 2025 Afcon, as they head into their fourth World Cup seeking to go beyond the group stage for the first time.

GROUP E FIXTURES

Germany v Curacao, June 14, 1700 GMT

Ivory Coast v Ecuador, June 14, 2300 GMT

Germany v Ivory Coast, June 20, 2000 GMT

Ecuador v Curacao, June 21, 0000 GMT

Curacao v Ivory Coast, June 25, 2000 GMT

Ecuador v Germany, June 25, 2000 GMT

GROUP F 

NETHERLANDS 

The Dutch punched their ticket to the World Cup after a comfortable campaign, finishing with the second-best goal difference in the European qualifiers.

Memphis Depay, the Netherlands’ all-time top scorer, bagged a third of his team’s goals in qualifying. Under coach Ronald Koeman, the Oranje are expected to lean on a pragmatic style and a strong back line led by Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk and Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven.

The Netherlands know World Cup heartbreak well. They have reached five semi-finals and lost three finals, making them the best-performing nation never to win the tournament. They have made the quarter-finals or better in each of their last three World Cups, though they missed out on the 2018 edition.

JAPAN

Japan was the first non-host nation to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, securing their place in March 2025 with three games to spare. Across two rounds of Asian qualifiers, they scored 54 goals and conceded only three.

Hajime Moriyasu’s side will appear at their eighth consecutive World Cup. The Samurai Blue reached the round of 16 at the last two tournaments, including memorable wins over Germany and Spain in 2022, but have never reached the quarter-finals.

Captain Wataru Endo, young star Takefusa Kubo and striker Ayase Ueda are among the key players.

SWEDEN

Sweden made history as the first men’s team ever to qualify for the World Cup after finishing last in their main qualifying group without winning a match.

They reached the tournament through the UEFA Nations League playoff pathway, where Premier League champion Viktor Gyökeres became a national hero. The Arsenal striker scored a hat-trick against Ukraine in the playoff semi-final before netting an 88th-minute winner against Poland in the final.

Coach Graham Potter has fan support, but expectations remain modest in a country with proud World Cup history. When the tournament was last held in the U.S. in 1994, Sweden finished third. They reached the final in 1958, losing to Pelé’s Brazil.

TUNISIA 

Tunisia topped their group in the African qualifiers after a disciplined campaign. The Eagles of Carthage kept a clean sheet in all 10 matches, winning nine and drawing one—one of only three teams to qualify without conceding a goal.

Goalkeeper Aymen Dahmen was crucial to that defensive record, while Burnley’s Hannibal Mejbri brings bite and grit to the midfield in the tournament’s fifth-youngest squad.

Tunisia make their seventh World Cup appearance, still seeking their first trip beyond the group stage. New head coach Sabri Lamouchi, appointed in January, is facing a tough job, though Tunisia showed in Qatar they can trouble elite opposition, famously beating France 1-0 in 2022.

GROUP F FIXTURES 

Netherlands v Japan, June 14, 2000 GMT 

Sweden v Tunisia, June 15, 0200 GMT  

Netherlands v Sweden, June 20, 1700 GMT 

Tunisia v Japan, June 21, 0400 GMT  

Japan v Sweden, June 25, 2300 GMT  

Tunisia v Netherlands, June 25, 2300 GMT 

GROUP G

IRAN 

Iran qualified in March 2025 after a 2-2 draw with Uzbekistan secured them the top spot in their Asian group. They have become a World Cup regular but never reached the knockout rounds.

Iran’s build-up has also been heavily disrupted by the war, with the domestic league suspended for weeks.

Coach Amir Ghalenoei will rely on skipper Alireza Jahanbakhsh and Olympiacos striker Mehdi Taremi, with the opening game against New Zealand likely to define whether they can seriously target progression.

NEW ZEALAND 

New Zealand won the Oceanian qualifiers, securing a direct spot at the tournament. Across their previous World Cup campaigns, in 1982 and 2010, they did not pass the group phase.

They return to the World Cup after a 16-year absence and know the expanded tournament gives them a better chance than usual to make history.

BELGIUM 

Belgium had an unbeaten run in the qualifiers, topping their group ahead of Wales and North Macedonia. Their best World Cup result was a third-place in Russia in 2018.

Rudi Garcia’s Red Devils will look to redeem themselves after a group-stage exit at the last World Cup in Qatar and being knocked out in the round of 16 at Euro 2024.

With star players like Napoli midfielder Kevin De Bruyne and Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, Belgium are the clear favourites to win their group.

EGYPT

Egypt topped their qualification group unbeaten, led by Premier League’s all-time top foreign goalscorer Mohamed Salah, who left Liverpool at the end of the season.

Dominant on the African continent, with a record 78 Afcon victories, Egypt is looking to finally win a match at the World Cup, having debuted at the world stage in a 16-team tournament in 1934.

GROUP G FIXTURES 

Belgium v Egypt, June 15, 1900 GMT 

Iran v New Zealand, June 16, 0100 GMT 

Belgium v Iran, June 21, 1900 GMT 

New Zealand v Egypt, June 22, 0100 GMT 

Egypt v Iran, June 27, 0300 GMT 

New Zealand v Belgium, June 27, 0300 GMT 

GROUP H

SPAIN 

The reigning European champions qualified as group winners and enter the World Cup seeking a second world title after a victorious 2010 campaign in South Africa.

Luis de la Fuente’s side are one of the clearest favourites to win the tournament, blending midfield control with explosive wide players such as Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams.

CAPE VERDE 

Cape Verde won their group in the African qualifiers after beating Eswatini 3-0 in the final match, punching the ticket to their World Cup debut.

They are one of the great stories of the expanded World Cup, a small island nation with a squad built from a global diaspora taking their first step onto football’s biggest stage.

SAUDI ARABIA 

Saudi Arabia qualified as group winners in the fourth round of the Asian qualifiers, after a 3-2 win against Indonesia and a 0-0 draw with Iraq.

They are back at the World Cup for a third straight edition and will be looking to play spoiler again after their famous win over Argentina in Qatar in 2022. Their best World Cup result was the round of 16 in 1994.

URUGUAY 

Uruguay confirmed their spot after finishing fourth in the South American qualifiers. They have won the World Cup twice in 1930 and 1950.

But Marcelo Bielsa’s side are not just travelling on history. Federico Valverde, Ronald Araujo and Darwin Nunez give them edge, pace and bite, and they should expect to fight Spain for the top spot in their group. 

GROUP H FIXTURES 

Spain v Cape Verde, June 15, 1600 GMT 

Saudi Arabia v Uruguay, June 15, 2200 GMT 

Spain v Saudi Arabia, June 21, 1600 GMT 

Uruguay v Cape Verde, June 21, 2200 GMT 

Uruguay v Spain, June 27, 0000 GMT 

Cape Verde v Saudi Arabia, June 27, 0000 GMT 

GROUP I

FRANCE 

France enter the tournament as back-to-back World Cup finalists, having won the 2018 edition in Russia and lost on penalties against Argentina four years later. They also won the tournament in 1998.

Les Bleus dominated their qualifying group composed of Ukraine, Iceland and Azerbaijan, winning all but one match.

The 2026 World Cup will be coach Didier Deschamps’ last tournament with the team, as he tries to lead France to a fourth final in eight editions since their first ever World Cup victory, which he won as captain.

SENEGAL

Senegal qualified undefeated at the top of their group. In 2002, they became the second African team to reach the quarter-finals of a World Cup, their best performance so far.

Led by captain Kalidou Koulibaly and the nation’s all-time top scorer Sadio Mané, Senegal also qualified for the last two World Cups, in the latter of which they made it to the round of 16.

Senegal won the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. It was also declared the winner of the 2025 edition, but was later stripped of the title.

IRAQ

Iraq qualified on March 31 after a more than two-year odyssey encompassing four qualifying rounds and an inter-continental playoff against Bolivia.

Led by Australian coach Graham Arnold and forty years after their last participation in a World Cup, Iraq will aim to grab their first ever points, having finished last in their group in 1986 in Mexico. 

NORWAY 

Norway will take part in the World Cup for the first time this century, having last qualified for the 1998 edition in France. They made it to the round of 16 back then, matching their best-ever finish at the tournament.

With an attack led by the Premier League’s top scorer Erling Haaland, Norway qualified for the tournament after dominating their group and scoring the most goals out of any team during the European qualifiers. They will look to challenge France for the top spot of the group.

GROUP I FIXTURES 

France v Senegal, June 16, 1900 GMT 

Iraq v Norway, June 16, 2200 GMT 

France v Iraq, June 22, 2100 GMT 

Norway v Senegal, June 23, 0000 GMT 

Norway v France, June 26, 1900 GMT 

Senegal v Iraq, June 26, 1900 GMT 

GROUP J

ARGENTINA 

Argentina are the defending champions and among the favourites to win again, with Lionel Messi the symbol of the team alongside a younger core led by Julian Alvarez, Enzo Fernandez and Alexis Mac Allister.

Lionel Scaloni’s side qualified for the World Cup after finishing at the top of the South American qualifiers, as Argentina chase the rare feat of back-to-back World Cup titles. Another win would also allow them to join Italy and Germany on the short list of four-time world champions.

ALGERIA 

The Desert Foxes return to the World Cup after a 12-year absence, with Al-Ahli’s Riyad Mahrez still the creative engine supported by the likes of Rayan Ait-Nouri and Mohamed Amoura, who was the top scorer of the African qualifiers with 10 goals.

Algeria topped their qualification group, winning eight of their 10 matches. One of Africa’s more dangerous knockout-stage contenders, they are hoping to challenge Austria for the second place in the group.

In 2014, Algeria achieved their best World Cup result, making it to the round of 16.

AUSTRIA 

Austria returns to the tournament for the first time since 1998. With players like Real Madrid’s David Alaba, Ralf Rangnick’s side believe they have a strong chance to reach the knockout rounds, even after recently losing midfielder Christoph Baumgartner to injury.

Austria qualified for the World Cup as the winners of their group. Their best World Cup result was a third-place finish in 1954. 

JORDAN

Jordan ensured their first appearance at a World Cup in June 2025 after finishing as group runners-up in the third round of the Asian qualifiers.

The Jordanians, managed by Jamal Sellami, reached the global stage after years as outsiders of Asian football, and reaching the knockout stage would rank among the biggest achievements in the country’s sporting history. 

GROUP J FIXTURES 

Argentina v Algeria, June 17, 0100 GMT   

Austria v Jordan, June 17, 0400 GMT

Argentina v Austria, June 22, 1700 GMT  

Jordan v Algeria, June 23, 0300 GMT

Algeria v Austria, June 28, 0200 GMT  

Jordan v Argentina, June 28, 0200 GMT 

GROUP K

PORTUGAL 

Portugal’s all-time goalscorer, 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, will be playing in his sixth and last World Cup, looking to score the first world title for his country, whose best result was a third place in 1966.

Coach Roberto Martinez’s team punched their ticket after a 9-1 win against Armenia sealed their first place in the qualification group.

The winners of last year’s Nations League are the favourites to move forward from their group.

DR CONGO 

The Democratic Republic of Congo qualified after Burnley’s Axel Tuanzebe scored the match-winning extra-time goal during the inter-confederation play-offs against Jamaica.

The DRC return to the World Cup 52 years after their last appearance at the 1974 tournament in West Germany, when the country was still known as Zaire. Back then, they lost all their group stage matches, conceding 14 goals without scoring any. 

UZBEKISTAN 

Fabio Cannavaro, a former Ballon d’Or and World Cup 2006 winner with Italy, became Uzbekistan’s coach in January ahead of their first World Cup, which they enter with the likes of Manchester City’s Abdukodir Khusanov and Istanbul Basaksehir’s Eldor Shomurodov.

Uzbekistan secured the historic qualification after finishing second in their Asian qualification group.

COLOMBIA 

Colombia gained their spot after taking the third place in the South American qualification, following a 3-0 win against Bolivia on September 2025.

The Cafeteros will be looking for a redemption after failing to qualify for the previous World Cup in Qatar. Their best result in the competition was in 2014 in Brazil, where they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by the hosts.

The main players to watch are Sporting CP’s Luis Suarez, Bayern’s Luis Diaz and Minnesota United’s James Rodriguez, in what could be Rodriguez’s last World Cup appearance. 

GROUP K FIXTURES 

Portugal v DR Congo, June 17, 1700 GMT 

Uzbekistan v Colombia, June 18, 0200 GMT 

Portugal v Uzbekistan, June 23, 1700 GMT 

Colombia v DR Congo, June 24, 0200 GMT 

Colombia v Portugal, June 27, 2330 GMT 

DR Congo v Uzbekistan, June 27, 2330 GMT 

GROUP L

ENGLAND

Thomas Tuchel’s team booked their ticket as the clear winners of their qualifying group, boasting eight consecutive wins without conceding a single goal. The 1966 world champions are eager to put an end to the 60-year dry spell.

The Three Lions hope to turn the tide, having been stopped by European rivals in recent tournaments. They yielded to France in 2022 World Cup quarter-finals and lost two consecutive European championship finals to Italy and Spain.

CROATIA

The Croats are the second team in Group L that secured a spot in the tournament after an unbeaten qualification run, though they were forced to shed points in a draw unlike their English rivals.

The Vatreni, led by veteran captain Luka Modrić, were the runners-up in the 2018 World Cup, where their hopes were extinguished by France in a tense, goal-abundant final.

GHANA

Ghanaians will compete in their fifth World Cup, with their best-ever result being quarter-finals in 2010, where Luis Suarez’ last-minute handball stripped the Black Stars of a winning goal and led to a loss in a penalty shootout.

The side coached by Portuguese Carlos Queiroz qualified for the World Cup after a 1-0 victory over the Comoros cemented the top spot in their qualifying group.

PANAMA

Panama is one of five non-debutants to have yet to win a World Cup match. The tournament in North America will be their second, after Los Canaleros lost all their matches in Russia eight years ago, one of them against this year’s group rivals England.

Panama punched their ticket to the tournament with a top spot in their qualification group, sealed with a 3-0 victory over El Salvador.

GROUP L FIXTURES

England v Croatia, June 17, 2000 GMT 

Ghana v Panama, June 17, 2300 GMT

England v Ghana, June 23, 2000 GMT

Panama v Croatia, June 23, 2300 GMT 

Panama v England, June 27, 2100 GMT

Croatia v Ghana, June 27, 2100 GMT

(Reporting by Jesus Calero, Danny Callaghan, Basile Day, Paolo Laudani, Sacha Malgeri, Mirko Miorelli, Mateusz Rabiega, Enrico Sciacovelli, Romolo Tosiani and Tristan Veyet in Gdansk, editing by Milla Nissi-Prussak)