How England qualified for World Cup last 32 without kicking a ball against Panama

England supporters woke up connected Saturday to the quality that the Three Lions had already qualified for the past 32 of the World Cup without kicking a shot against Panama.

The Three Lions missed the accidental to seal qualification with a crippled to spare past clip out, drawing 0-0 with Ghana successful their 2nd Group L game.

As a result, Thomas Tuchel's men faced the slim imaginable of elimination earlier the last circular of fixtures kicked off, contempt sitting apical of the conception connected 4 points.

Even if results had gone against England connected Friday nighttime and the aboriginal hours of Saturday morning, they would person lone needed a constituent against Panama to guarantee their spot successful the knockouts.

However, acknowledgment to definite outcomes going their mode successful the past batch of group-stage games, England volition beryllium contiguous successful the past 32 nary substance what transpires against Panama.

How England qualified for the past 32 of the World Cup

As England are already 4 points wide of Panama - who person suffered back-to-back 1-0 losses to Croatia and Ghana - successful Group L, Tuchel's men tin lone decorativeness 3rd astatine the precise worst.

That result hinges connected Ghana losing to Croatia and England suffering decision against Panama by a heavier scoreline fixed their superior extremity quality - already a fanciful scenario.

However, adjacent if Tuchel's men did driblet retired of the apical two, their four-point full would beryllium capable to spot them done arsenic 1 of the champion third-placed teams, arsenic 5 different bronze medallists tin nary longer overtake them.

Senegal, Iran, South Korea and Scotland each finished 3rd with 3 points, portion Uruguay lone managed a specified 2 points pursuing their 1-0 decision to Spain successful Group H, which eliminated Marcelo Bielsa's side.

The 8 champion third-placed teams suffice for the past 32, and England would astatine the precise worst beryllium the seventh-best third-placed team, frankincense ensuring their spot successful the past 32.

Croatia, Algeria and DR Congo correspond the 3 existent third-placed teams yet to play their last matches; the trio beryllium connected three, 3 and 1 points respectively.

If England decorativeness third, who volition they play successful World Cup past 32?

With lone six group-stage fixtures near to go, England present cognize that they volition beryllium playing 1 of 2 teams if they suffice for the past 32 successful 3rd place.

The federation that ranks 3rd successful Group L are guaranteed to beryllium gathering the victor of Group K, which volition beryllium either Colombia oregon Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal, who spell head-to-head successful the aboriginal hours of Sunday morning.

Should England triumph that game, they would conscionable either Switzerland oregon the third-placed squad from Groups G oregon J successful the past 16, earlier a imaginable quarter-final conflict against reigning champions Argentina.