As part of FIFA’s 48-team expansion of the tournament, an extra knockout round has been added, with all 12 groups seeing their top two sides qualify automatically for the next phase plus the best eight third placers.
England’s gritty 2-0 win over Panama saw Thomas Tuchel’s team finish top of Group L with seven points on the board ahead of Croatia and Ghana.
There was history made in Group K, as DR Congo came from behind to beat WC debutants Uzbekistan 3-1 in Atlanta, and set up a showdown with England back at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on July 1.
Both teams benefitted from their main men stepping up in the final group match as Harry Kane scored England’s second goal vs. Panama and Yoane Wissa netted twice late on to secure DR Congo’s first-ever knockout place in just their second WC appearance after a 50-year absence from the world stage.
Kane is now on 11 WC goals – the most of any England player in history – after bagging six in his 2018 Golden Boot win and two at Qatar 2022.
Three goals from the group stages is a solid return for the Bayern Munich hitman, but the underdogs will be buoyed by the fact Wissa has matched that tally so far in North America.
The Newcastle United striker certainly did not enjoy a stellar debut campaign on Tyneside, after netting just one Premier League goal, on the back of firing home 19 for Brentford in 2024/25.
He’s now on 12 for DR Congo in 42 international appearances, and Sebastien Desabre’s team boasts plenty of EPL experience to take on England, including Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Axel Tuanzebe and Noah Sadiki as they chase more history this summer.