Optimistic England fans will be hoping for third time lucky as Gareth Southgate’s side continue their bid in Qatar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The Three Lions have come up short in their last two major tournament appearances, with a semifinal loss to Croatia at Russia 2018 and penalty shootout heartbreak against Italy at home in the Euro 2020 final last year.
Their build-up to the Qatar showpiece was far from ideal, after they were relegated in September from the top tier of the UEFA Nations League. But despite that frustration, there is a sense that England do still have the capacity to break through a mental barrier under Southgate, having constructed an unbeaten qualifying campaign to reach the World Cup.
The Three Lions ultimately made light work of their group in Qatar and have headed into the knockout stages eager to make a real impact.
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England kicked off Group B with an emphatic 6-2 win over Iran. As the top seed in the group, England started their campaign with arguably their easiest fixture.
And they struggled to hit those same heights in their second match with the USA. Outplayed for long stretches, in the end it was a good point, from a 0-0 draw, for Southgate’s men.
The Three Lions then rediscovered their roar in front of goal against Wales as they claimed a convincing 3-0 win that saw them top Group B.
African giants Senegal awaited in the Round of 16 on December 4 after they beat Ecuador 2-1 in their final group match to narrowly claim second spot in Group A.
And England made light work of that challenge also, dispatching of the Lions of Teranga with ease, 3-0.
Reigning champions France now await the Three Lions next in Qatar on December 9.
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*Only in event of defeat in semifinals
The pre-tournament betting odds for England and other Group B sides in the major global territories are below (odds via BetMGM for U.S., Sky Bet for U.K., Sports Interaction for Canada and Ladbrokes for Australia).
England will face France in the quarterfinal of Qatar 2022 after easing past Senegal Kickoff will be at 22:00 local time.
The Three Lions have been free-flowing in the tournament so far, with their attack already netting 12 times in four matches. But now they face their stiffest test, against Kylian Mbappe and the defending champions.
Here’s how to watch the World Cup action in the major global territories:
Qatar resides in the Arabian Standard Time Zone, which is GMT +3.World Cup 2022 kickoff times in the major global territories are:
Group stage:
Knockout stage (ET):
