England are through to the quarter-finals of the World Cup after a dramatic 3-2 win over co-hosts Mexico in Mexico City, with Jude Bellingham scoring a quick-fire brace and Harry Kane adding a penalty. The Three Lions now face Norway in Miami for a place in the semi-finals, with Norway boasting Manchester City's Erling Haaland, who has 62 goals in 54 international games and is level with Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi on seven goals in the tournament. This explainer looks at England's route to the final and what lies ahead.
England's path to the quarter-finals has been turbulent. After beating DR Congo in the last 32, they faced Mexico at the iconic Azteca Stadium, where they played most of the second half with 10 men after Jarell Quansah was sent off. Despite Mexico's onslaught and 11 minutes of added time, England held on. The win sets up a quarter-final against Norway, who reached the last eight for the first time in their best World Cup campaign by beating Brazil in the last 16.
“England's World Cup path after beating Mexico: quarter-final vs Norway, possible semi vs Argentina.”
If England beat Norway, they could face defending champions Argentina in the semi-finals. Argentina, led by 39-year-old Lionel Messi, have won all their group games and survived a scare against Cape Verde. Also in that half of the draw are Colombia and Switzerland. The semi-final would be in Atlanta, where England beat DR Congo. The other half of the draw features France, Spain, Morocco, Portugal, USA, and Belgium, meaning England could face any of those in the final.
For UK readers, England's progress matters because they are aiming for their third major tournament final of the decade. The quarter-final against Norway is a tough test: Haaland is the tournament's joint-top scorer, and Norway have momentum. England's manager Thomas Tuchel will need to manage injuries – Jordan Henderson suffered an injury after the Mexico win – and the altitude factor in Mexico, though that is now behind them. The match gives fans a chance to see England take on a rising European power.
Q: When is England's World Cup quarter-final against Norway? England face Norway in Miami in the quarter-finals. The exact date and time have not been confirmed in the sources, but it will follow their round-of-16 win over Mexico on 6 July 2026.
Q: Who could England face in the semi-finals if they beat Norway? If England win, they would likely face the winner of Argentina vs Egypt or Colombia vs Switzerland. Argentina are favourites, led by Lionel Messi, who is now the top scorer in World Cup history.
Q: What is England's full route to the World Cup final? England must beat Norway in the quarter-final, then win the semi-final (likely against Argentina) in Atlanta, and then win the final against a team from the other half of the draw – possibly France, Spain, or Morocco.
What happens next: England's quarter-final against Norway is imminent. The winner will advance to the semi-finals in Atlanta, where Argentina are the most likely opponent. The World Cup final will be played at a venue not specified in the sources, with England aiming for their first title since 1966.