Who does England play next? Confirmed World Cup knockout schedule, bracket path after beating Mexico

Bullet point summary by AI

• England advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals with a dramatic 3-2 win over Mexico at the Azteca Stadium.
• The Three Lions now face a daunting challenge that will test their defensive resilience and tactical planning.
• A high-scoring star and his team stand between England and a potential semifinal berth, with history and expectations weighing heavily on the squad.

As if they needed any more demons to try and exorcise in their round of 16 tie at the Azteca against Mexico on Sunday night — in the very same building that saw them bounced by Diego Maradona’s Hand of God goal — England needed to see out the final half hour or so down a man, after Jarell Quansah became just the latest Three Lions player to see a red card in a World Cup knockout match.

And yet, despite the atmosphere and the adversity, England persevered, suffering briliantly in defense in order to see out a 3-2 win that has them moving on to the quarterfinals. Considering the stakes and the situation, it instantly enters the pantheon of all-time moments for this team in this tournament.

And yet, if Thomas Tuchel’s team is to accomplish its ultimate goal — if it’s really going to come home after 60 long years — this is just the beginning. The road will only get tougher from here, as England’s next opponent features one of the most dangerous goal-scorers on planet Earth at the moment.

Who does England play next at the World Cup?

English fans are no strangers to Erling Haaland, given the extent to which he’s terrorized the Premier League with Manchester City in recent years. Now, though, even the most diehard City supporters will be rooting against him, as England will face Haaland’s Norway this weekend with a spot in the semifinals on the line.

The Vikings advanced to the quarterfinals earlier on Sunday afternoon, with Haaland delivering a brace in a 2-1 win over Brazil. It brings his tally for the tournament up to a whopping seven in just four games — Haaland sat his team’s final group-stage game against France — and cemented his status as the one of the very best pure strikers in the world. The rest of his team isn’t too shabby, either, as their effort against the five-time world champions proved.

Can England emerge triumphant once again? We’ll just have to see how things play out on Saturday, July 11, in Miami.

England World Cup schedule

If England can get past Norway and reach the semifinals for the first time since 1966, they’ll likely find a South American opponent facing them for a spot in the title game. The other two round of 16 matches in this half of the bracket are defending champion Argentina against Egypt and Colombia against Switzerland. Lionel Messi and Co. will no doubt be the heavy favorites to be the ones facing the Three Lions in the semis, in a renewal of a rivalry that has already seen five editions at the World Cup to date.

Have England ever won the FIFA World Cup?

Sunday night’s win moves England one win closer to snapping a painful 60-year drought. The Three Lions have won just one men’s World Cup in their history, a victory that came all the way back in 1966 — when they hosted the tournament for the first time and defeated West Germany in extra time in the final.

It’s been nothing but painful near-misses in the six decades since, including that famous loss to Argentina in the very same stadium in which they triumphed over Mexico on Sunday. This will be the Three Lions’ sixth trip to the quarterfinals since, and the previous five all ended in heartbreak. Can this team continue to shift the narrative? If they can find a way to keep Haaland in check, they’ll have a very good chance.