England's run to winning the World Cup is HARDEST ever as scale of task made clear

England are facing the hardest ever run to win the World Cup - based off FIFA rankings. After topping Group L, the Three Lions have reached the round 32 and will face DR Congo in Atlanta on Wednesday. It marks the next step on a journey that could see Thomas Tuchel's side finally end 60 years of hurt and become the first England men's team to win a trophy on foreign soil. Having finished third in their group, DR Congo are seen as favourable opponents at this stage. England have also managed to avoid being on the same side of the draw as European rivals Spain, France, Portugal, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. But the data suggests that there's nothing favourable about it compared to winners of the past. Should each of highest-ranked teams progress on England's half of the draw, then Harry Kane and Co. would come up against co-hosts Mexico in the round of 16, five-time winners Brazil in the quarter-finals, holders Argentina in the semis and finally Spain, who beat England in the final of Euro 2024. Get the latest World Cup 2026 news in your inbox with our Make Football Great Again newsletter Taking out DR Congo in the newly-added round of 32, England's opponents on their projected run to the final would have an average FIFA ranking of 5.75 - the most difficult average ever recorded. And that's without the context of facing Mexico at the iconic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. With DR Congo included, the average ranking rises to 13.8. Currently, France's triumph at the 2006 edition is the toughest run based off FIFA's rankings. They faced opposition averaging 6.5 - Spain, Brazil, Portugal and Italy. Will England win the World Cup? Give us your prediction in the comments section. In second place, it's the Brazil side of 1994. The four teams which they faced - USA, the Netherlands, Sweden and Italy - had an average ranking of 9.75. And thirdly, Spain in 2010 faced opponents averaging 11 - Portugal, Paraguay, Germany and the Netherlands. Of course, upsets are almost guaranteed in the knockout stages of a World Cup, so England may end up facing lower-ranked sides than projected. That won't necessarily make it easier, though, as the Three Lions could be the next giant to fall. "A big beast is waiting for us," DR Congo and Newcastle striker Yoane Wissa said after beating Uzbekistan 3-1. "We need to enjoy this kind of game. We deserve to play against England, one of the best in the world. I'm looking forward to what's coming next." England will be confident of taking DR Congo down and extending their unbeaten run against African nations at the World Cup to 10 games. Sebastien Desabre's men started their campaign with a well-earned 1-1 draw with Portugal, having come from behind. Their next game was a narrow 1-0 loss to Group K winners Colombia, setting up a must-win clash with World Cup debutants Uzbekistan. After conceding early, Wissa's brace and a goal from Fiston Mayele secured all three points for the Leopards. Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.