World Cup 2026: England frustrated as final group games kick off with Scotland set to face Brazil

England were left frustrated by a 0-0 draw with Ghana as the final round of World Cup 2026 group-stage matches began on June 24, with Scotland's meeting with Brazil among the headline fixtures of the day.

Portugal also made a statement on the previous day, beating Uzbekistan 5-0 with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring twice, as the race for places in the knockout rounds tightened across the tournament.

England held in Group L

England's goalless draw with Ghana on June 23 left qualification from Group L uncertain. The result means the final group matches will decide the picture in a section that also includes Croatia and Panama.

The draw was one of the clearest setbacks of the late group phase so far, with England unable to turn possession into a winning goal.

Scotland face Brazil in Group C

Attention then shifted to the start of the last matchday round on June 24, when Scotland were due to face Brazil in Group C in Miami.

The fixture has been billed as one of the decisive games of the day, with Scotland needing a result to stay in contention and Brazil among the teams still shaping the qualification race.

Group C also includes Morocco and Haiti, making the outcome of the day’s matches important for the final standings and the path into the round of 32.

A full day of qualifiers

The June 24 schedule also includes Morocco vs Haiti, Switzerland vs Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar, Czechia vs Mexico and South Africa vs Korea Republic.

Those matches form the final group-stage round, with advancement still to be settled in several sections as teams try to secure the places available in the knockout stage.

What to watch next

The key question now is which teams will confirm their place in the round of 32 once the June 24 matches are completed.

England's next step depends on the final Group L permutations, while Scotland's meeting with Brazil could reshape Group C before the tournament moves into the knockout phase.