England and the worst-case scenario at the World Cup draw

England nervously entered the 2026 World Cup draw.

Croatia are considered the “nail” opponents in Pot 2: ranked 10th in the world , reaching the final and semi-finals of the last two World Cups. However, the rule of only allowing a maximum of two European teams in the same group makes meeting Croatia a double-edged sword: England will avoid Erling Haaland’s Norway in Pot 3 or Italy in Pot 4, if the four-time champions make it through the play-offs.

According to FIFA rankings and the teams that have won tickets, the "nightmare" group for England could be Croatia, Panama, and Jordan.

Outside Europe, DR Congo is the highest-ranked Pot 4 team if they make it through the play-offs. Ghana is also considered a tough opponent. Meanwhile, Cape Verde are also not to be underestimated, having beaten Ghana at CAN last year.

An even more serious scenario: England are drawn in a group with Morocco, Norway (or Scotland, given their rivalry), and Jordan. If Morocco is included, England would avoid having to face Mohamed Salah’s Egypt in Pot 3, Ghana, or DR Congo if the Africans qualify.

In pot 2, Ecuador emerge as the team to watch out for. They finished second in the South American qualifiers behind Argentina, conceding just five goals in 18 games and losing twice. The altitude of Quito is an advantage, but they also showed character by drawing with Brazil and beating Argentina to book their place in Guayaquil. Colombia and Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay, who are expected to have huge fan bases, also make this seeding group tough.

The draw could put England in an easy group. But it could also set them up for a tricky journey from the first round. At 00:00 on December 6, the draw for the 2026 World Cup finals will take place.

Source: https://znews.vn/tuyen-anh-va-vien-canh-te-nhat-o-le-boc-tham-world-cup-post1608601.html