England's qualification for the World Cup knockout stage is all but guaranteed after two games, with the team currently sitting on four points in Group L.
A point from the remaining match against Ghana would secure qualification, although it would not be enough to top the group if Ghana beats Croatia or the match ends in a draw. England would still qualify automatically if Ghana beats Croatia, or the match ends in a draw.
However, even if England loses to Panama, they would still qualify if Ghana beats Croatia or the match ends in a draw, as long as their goal difference remains greater than Ghana's.
England's qualification for the knockout stage is not the only option, as they have already secured a spot as one of the eight best third-place sides. This means they will still play in the Round of 32, regardless of the outcome of their final group match.
The condensed schedule of the World Cup could prove challenging for England, with the team potentially playing six games in the space of 23 days if they reach the final on July 19.
In the event of a tie on points, the head-to-head record between teams will now be used as the first tiebreaker, rather than goal difference. This means that England will qualify ahead of Croatia if both teams end up on four points.
As group winners, England will enter the bottom half of the draw, where they will play one of the third-placed sides from Groups E, H, I, J, or K. This could see them facing teams such as Ecuador, Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, Uruguay, Senegal, Austria, Algeria, DR Congo, or Uzbekistan.
Alternatively, a second-place finish in the group would see England play the runner-up in Group K, which will likely be either Portugal or Colombia. Finishing third in the group would mean England play the winner of Group K, which could be either Colombia or Portugal.
