World Cup 2026 draw: England open against Croatia, Scotland drawn with Brazil

England head coach Tuchel oversaw a flawless World Cup qualifying campaign, with his side winning all eight of their matches without conceding a goal.

Speaking to BBC Sport after the draw, the German said: “Tough group, tough opening match. Croatia and Ghana [are] two World Cup regulars and two proud and strong nations. I don’t know much about Panama at the moment, but we will find out before the tournament starts.

“For me, I have only known group football in the form of the Champions League and the way to approach it has been to always give it the utmost respect and focus on winning the group. It always seems difficult, like our group now, but we are confident and we will be well prepared when we arrive.”

Croatia were the highest-ranked nation England could have drawn from pot two, and they were the team England lost to in the 2018 World Cup semi-final.

In the group stage of the same tournament, England beat Panama 6-1.

“No one should be underestimated. Of course Croatia is a remarkable nation, but Ghana is always full of talent, can always surprise and has a great history in the FIFA World Cup,” Tuchel said.

“Panama will try to make the most of its role as an underdog. No one can be underestimated, everyone deserves the greatest respect.”