World Cup draw: Profiles of England’s group stage opponents Croatia, Panama and Ghana

England will face former World Cup rivals Croatia in the opening game of next year’s tournament after a draw that presented them with a potentially dangerous route if they progress.

Croatia, which defeated England in the 2018 World Cup semi-final, ranks 10th in the FIFA rankings and is among the dangerous tournament operators, but it is not as strong as before. Head coach Thomas Tuchel will be optimistic that his team will emerge from the division that also includes Ghana and Panama.

England will be one of the favorites for the tournament as they look to end the long wait for the senior men’s trophy dating back to the 1966 World Cup, but if they win their group they will have to do it the hard way to make history.

If they win their group and qualify for the last 16, they will have the potential to face host Mexico at Mexico City’s famous Aztec Stadium if they top their group and win their last 32 games. Mexico will pose a threat as it is ranked 15th in the world. This will also be a challenging mission fueled by the raw emotions and color of an entire nation standing behind its team in a hostile atmosphere.

If England reach the quarter-finals, there is the exciting – and very difficult – prospect of facing Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil.

One factor working in England’s favor is that their first match against Croatia is played on 17 June, giving them extra time to prepare for and account for pre-World Cup friendly matches, with the tournament kicking off on 11 June with Mexico taking on South Africa.

However, with the completion of the World Cup draw, Tuchel can start making plans to fulfill the only task he has been tasked with on an 18-month contract: winning the World Cup.