Who does England play next is Norway, if England beats Mexico tonight in the World Cup round of 16. A win would send England into the World Cup quarter-finals for the third tournament in a row, with the next match set for July 11 at Miami Stadium.
Harry Kane kept England alive against DR Congo in Atlanta on Wednesday, scoring a late brace in the last 32. That escape matters because it put England one step from a bracket that now points straight to Norway.
Norway's 2-1 route
Norway earned its place by beating Brazil 2-1, with Erling Haaland scoring two goals. For Norway, the quarter-final would be its first ever World Cup quarter-final, and Stale Solbakken's side has already cleared the round that now sits between England and the last eight.
The matchup would also be new at tournament level for England. England have never played Norway at a major tournament, and their only meetings this century came in two friendlies: a 1-0 win at Wembley in 2014 and a win in Oslo in 2012.
Estadio Azteca pressure
Mexico make the next step harder in a way the draw does not soften. England still must beat Mexico at the Estadio Azteca, where Mexico have lost only two of 89 previous competitive games, and the venue sits more than 2,000 metres above sea level in Mexico City.
That leaves England with a clear path and a clear obstacle. If Kane's form carries over and England solves Mexico tonight, the bracket sends them to Norway on July 11 at Miami Stadium; if not, the route ends before the quarter-finals and the third straight place among the final eight never arrives.
