World Cup 2026 Latest: England 11/2 second favourites after decent group stage draw

• England 11/26.50 second favourites for 2026 World Cup glory

• Three Lions to face Croatia, Ghana and Panama

• Spain 4/15.00 favourites, France face tricky group 

• Read more about the World Cup 2026 here

England second favourites after World Cup draw

England remain the 11/26.50 second favourites to win the 2026 World Cup after the group stage draw was made in Washington DC in the USA.

Thomas Tuchel's side were given a reasonably tough draw having been grouped with 2018 finalists and semi-finalists in 2022 Croatia, along with Africans Ghana and central American side Panama.

The exact venues are yet to be decided, but England will largely be based on the East Coast with Boston, New Jesery, Philadelphia and Toronto possible options - alongside Dallas.

Current European champions Spain remain the 4/15.00 World Cup favourites after the draw. They have a tough one with Uruguay but are well fancied as they also face Saudi Arabia, and start their campaign against minnows Cape Verde.

Scotland's first World Cup since 1998 sees them face a side they also played in France in Brazil - the Samba Boys being the 13/27.50 shots to lift the World Cup in America just as they did back in 1994. Morocco and Haiti complete that group.

Defending champions Argentina are 17/29.50 to become just the third team to retain their title, and they'll face Algeria, Austria and Jordan, while 7/18.00 shots France, the 2018 champions who Argentina beat on penalties in Qatar, face one of the trickier groups among the big guns.

Didier Deschamps' side face Senegal in their opener - just as they did in 2002 as reigning champions when the Africans secured that famous upset - while also having to deal with Erling Haaland's Norway in their group. The fourth spot will be taken up by Iraq, Bolivia or Suriname after a play-off.

England's group stage fixtures

The Three Lions are 4/111.36 to win Group L even with World Cup experts Croatia in there, who of course have reached a final and a semi-final in their last two tournaments, including a 2018 victory over England in the semis in Russia.

Croatia are 16/54.20 to win the group and with the big game first up that could easily decide who goes through as winners. 

• June 17: England v Croatia - Toronto/Dallas
• June 23: England v Ghana - Boston/Toronto
• June 27: Panama v England - New Jersey/Philadelphia

World Cup 2026 full group draw

Group A: Mexico, South Africa, Korea, Euro play-off D 

Group B: Canada, Euro play-off A, Qatar, Switzerland

Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Haiti, Scotland

Group D: USA, Paraguay, Australia, Euro play-off C

Group E: Germany, Curacao, Ivory Coast, Ecuador

Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Euro play-off B, Tunisia 

Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand 

Group H: Spain, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay 

Group I: France, Senegal, FIFA play-off 2, Norway

Group J: Argentina, Algeria, Austria, Jordan

Group K: Portugal, FIFA play-off 1, Uzbekistan, Colombia

Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama

Play-Off teams

• Euro play-off A: Italy, N. Ireland, Wales, Bosnia
• Euro play-off B: Ukraine, Sweden, Poland, Albania
• Euro play-off C: Slovakia, Turkey, Kosovo, Romania
• Euro play-off D: Denmark, N Macedonia, Rep. Ireland, Czech Rep.
• FIFA play-off 1: Jamaica, DR Congo, New Caledonia 
• FIFA play-off 2: Iraq, Bolivia, Suriname

2026 World Cup latest odds - outright winner

• 4/15.00 - Spain
• 11/26.50 - England
• 13/27.50 - Brazil
• 7/18.00 - France
• 17/29.50 - Argentina
• 11/112.00 - Portugal
• 12/113.00 - Germany
• 20/121.00 - Netherlands, Norway

Full World Cup outright market

England face tough potential route to the final

England are well fancied to top the group, but their route to the final would be about as tough as it comes if other groups go to plan - although the round of 32 should present a kind fixture as they'd play one of five third placed teams.

From then on though there's the potential for England to have to play Mexico in Mexico City in the last 16 and then Brazil in the quarter-finals, Argentina in the semis and Spain in the final. 

If England finish second in the group then Colombia would likely be waiting in the round of 32, before what would be a huge last-16 tie with Spain, possibly Belgium in the quarters and France in the semis - before a potential final against Argentina.

England's odds to reach the...

• 4/61.67 - Quarter-final 
• 11/102.11 - Semi-final
• 23/103.30 - Final

World Cup 2026 key dates & format

The biggest ever World Cup will feature 48 teams playing 104 matches across three countries - Canada, the USA and Mexico - in 12 groups of four, with the top two going through along with the eight best third-placed teams to play in a new round of 32.

The usual format from continues from the last 16 onwards, with the final taking place at the New York-New Jersey Stadium.

Group stage: June 11-27

Round of 32: June 28-July 3

Round of 16: July 4-7

Quarter-finals: July 9-11

Semi-finals: July 14-15

Third-place play-off: July 18

Final: July 19

Now read Premier League tips and previews here.