It has come down to this for England: a closing Group L assignment against a Panama side already out, with first place on the line. Thomas Tuchel’s men know that anything but defeat at MetLife Stadium should be enough to finish top — and to earn a gentler passage into the expanded last 32.
The Three Lions reached the final matchday on four points, having beaten Croatia 4-2 before being held to a goalless draw by Ghana. They are level with Ghana at the summit but ahead on goal difference, and with those two sides meeting in the parallel fixture, the table could still swing on the final whistle.
Panama carry no such jeopardy — and no reward to chase. Christiansen’s Canaleros lost 1-0 to Ghana and 1-0 to Croatia, bowing out without scoring.
England’s build-up has again centred on the treatment room. Tino Livramento was lost for the whole tournament to a calf problem, with Trevoh Chalobah drafted in as cover, while Bukayo Saka, carrying an Achilles issue, and Marcus Rashford, managing a hamstring complaint, have been eased back through appearances off the bench. Panama, by contrast, head in with a settled squad and no significant new concerns.
What time and where to watch Panama vs England in the UK
Kick-off comes on Saturday 27 June 2026 at 10pm BST — a Saturday-evening window made for a British audience. This one belongs to ITV, who will carry the match live on ITV1 and stream it free on ITVX. The whole tournament is split between the BBC and ITV on free-to-air television, so there is no paywall for UK viewers, while audiences in Scotland can follow along on STV and STV Player.
The venue: MetLife Stadium
The game is played at MetLife Stadium — badged as New York New Jersey Stadium for the finals — in East Rutherford, roughly eight kilometres across the Hudson from Manhattan. At 82,500 seats it is the tournament’s biggest ground, and on 19 July it stages the World Cup final itself.
Predicted line-ups
Panama (4-2-3-1): Mosquera; Murillo, Córdoba, Escobar, Davis; Godoy, Carrasquilla; Bárcenas, Harvey, Díaz; Waterman
England (4-3-3): Pickford; James, Konsa, Guéhi, Burn; Rice, Mainoo, Bellingham; Saka, Kane, Rashford
Things to do in Manchester:
20 July 2026 10:00 + more dates
