Panama 0-2 England: World Cup 2026 – as it happened

Key events26m agoTuchel: 'The bigger the games get, the bigger we will get'31m agoEngland top Group L; Scotland eliminated39m agoFULL TIME: Panama 0-2 England1h agoGOAL! Panama 0-2 England (Kane 67)1h agoGOAL! Panama 0-1 England (Bellingham 62)2h agoHALF TIME: Panama 0-0 England4h agoThe teams5h agoRashford, Saka, Rogers and Quansah expected to start5h agoPreambleScott MurraySat 27 Jun 2026 19.24 EDTFirst published on Sat 27 Jun 2026 15.00 EDTShareKey events26m agoTuchel: 'The bigger the games get, the bigger we will get'31m agoEngland top Group L; Scotland eliminated39m agoFULL TIME: Panama 0-2 England1h agoGOAL! Panama 0-2 England (Kane 67)1h agoGOAL! Panama 0-1 England (Bellingham 62)2h agoHALF TIME: Panama 0-0 England4h agoThe teams5h agoRashford, Saka, Rogers and Quansah expected to start5h agoPreamble9m ago19.24 EDTDavid Hytner was at New York New Jersey Stadium tonight, and here’s his report. Congratulations to England, commiserations to Panama and Scotland, and thanks to you, dear reader, for sticking with this MBM.

Updated at 19.34 EDT10m ago19.23 EDTHarry Kane speaks to ITV. “A solid performance again … against a tricky side … fast, tricky players … they had little moments … overall we controlled it pretty well … first half maybe a little bit sloppy in the final third … got better in the second half … would have liked to see out the game a little bit easier … a bit of a basketball match … overall just a good win … another top performance [from Jude Bellingham] … he’s got the bit between his teeth … [the England World Cup record of 11 goals is] another proud one to reach … let’s hope it’s not the last instalment!”

17m ago19.16 EDTPost-match postbag. “As a US citizen (England are my other team), England will not face the same desultory, soul destroying tactics emblematic of Concacaf sides who are up against a side that outguns them. This after watching similar USA matches that did not end nearly as well as England. From here on, England will be up against a harder stone that will suit their sword” George Meikle

“Both England goals came from Bellingham getting behind the defence to the byline and forcing defenders to face their own goal. Neither of the wingers (Rashford or Saka, at the time) were doing this” – Andy ‘not that one’ Flintoff

“So Anthony Barry blamed synchronicity, defined as the psychoanalytic view that coincidences signify that the universe is talking to you. I vehemently disagree: it’s a sign of apophenia, the tendency to perceive meaningful connections between unrelated things. Like Marcus Rashford and Harry Kane” – Paul Griffin

“Give Panama their goal! Bend the rules just once - have a heart!” – Adam Kent Ibáñez

“As an Englishman living in Mexico I live in fear of England v Mexico in the last 16” – Gary Marchant

“I hope we tighten up at the back before we play France in the final” – Fin

“Southgate in” – Joshua Keeling

23m ago19.11 EDTNow a word from England’s man-of-the-match Jude Bellingham: “First job achieved … we came here to do it in sections … we know what level we want to achieve and we did that in the second half … every day we have to try to improve … the assist [pleased me more than the goal] … good combination play … to give it to Harry, who just continues to raise his level, is incredible … he’s the best.”

26m ago19.07 EDTTuchel: 'The bigger the games get, the bigger we will get'Thomas Tuchel speaks to ITV. “We did what was needed … it was what we expected … a tough match against a physical opponent … difficult to score … we were the only team to create this amount of chances and score twice against them … we were very aggressive … very careful with the counter attacks … we deserved to win … [Jude Bellingham had a] good performance again … everyone did what they needed to do … there is more to build on … you have to get so many details right … the tournament starts again now in knockout … we collect our energy … build on what we have … team spirit … fighting spirit … belief … we will step up, the bigger the games get, the bigger we will get … three days, the next match is not a problem … we love that and we are good at that.”

As for Harry Kane breaking Gary Lineker’s World Cup finals goalscoring record with his 11th goal: “Good … it is not the end!”

31m ago19.02 EDTEngland top Group L; Scotland eliminatedThe other match in Group L has finished Croatia 2-1 Ghana … and Scotland are officially eliminated.

Updated at 19.26 EDT33m ago19.00 EDTEngland had a job to do, and they did it. It wasn’t totally convincing – the first half was a non-event, and Thomas Tuchel’s men took their foot off the gas a little carelessly after going two up – but Jude Bellingham’s goal and assist earned his side top place in Group L. As things stand, England will be up against Senegal on Wednesday, but let’s wait for the final tranche of first-round matches to be played before addressing that. England can go forward with some confidence, knowing they’ve got plenty of world-class talent capable of seeing them through … but the defence, worried on a couple of occasions tonight by Panama, remains a big question mark.

39m ago18.55 EDTFULL TIME: Panama 0-2 EnglandA five-minute burst of Jude Bellingham-infused quality proved the difference. England top Group L.

Updated at 18.57 EDT40m ago18.54 EDT90 min +5: Eze has a shot deflected wide, and nothing comes of the resulting corner.

40m ago18.53 EDT90 min +3: … and now Farjardo throws himself at a left-wing cross in the style of Keith Houchen. He doesn’t quite connect with his diving header like Coventry’s 1987 FA Cup final hero, though Pickford is still forced to intervene at the expense of a corner, from which nothing comes. England’s defence is not convincing at all.

42m ago18.52 EDT90 min +2: … but there wasn’t much in that. Guehi nearly played him on. Thomas Tuchel isn’t happy about how open England were at all.

43m ago18.51 EDT90 min +1: … and in the first, Fajardo is sent clear down the middle. He opens his body and whip-cracks a wonderful finish across Pickford and into the top right! But the flag goes up, correctly, for offside.

Updated at 18.54 EDT44m ago18.49 EDT90 min: There will be six additional minutes.

44m ago18.49 EDT89 min: Diaz, who has made an impression since coming on, curls a shot wide right from distance. He’s made for some good watching. Meanwhile a word from my esteemed colleague Beau Dure, who is busy preparing to cover Colombia-Portugal. “I’m seeing some chatter about the Cup ‘coming home.’ Have England fans not seen the brackets, or are they just unaware of the difficulty of beating Mexico in the Azteca, which would be their likely round-of-16 matchup? I think I’d rather fight Tyson Fury in Fury’s neighborhood pub.”

46m ago18.47 EDT88 min: Madueke crosses long from the right. Rashford scuffs a shot wide left. Then a double change for Panama, who replace Harvey and Gutierrez with Davis and Quintero.

48m ago18.46 EDT87 min: Croatia have retaken the lead against Ghana, Nikola Vlasic with the goal. The Group L table now has smoke coming off it.

50m ago18.44 EDT85 min: Kane and Anderson are replaced by Watkins and Henderson, who becomes the first player to represent England at seven international tournaments.

Updated at 18.47 EDT51m ago18.43 EDT83 min: Rogers hopes to make good down the middle, but is cynically tripped and hauled down by Andrade. But it’s not a red card, because he’s so far away from goal. Just a yellow.

54m ago18.40 EDT82 min: Ghana have equalised against Croatia, which consolidates England’s position at the top of Group L. Will Unwin has the details.

Updated at 18.41 EDT54m ago18.39 EDT80 min: Fajardo nearly nips into the England box from the left … but Konsa comes over to take charge, getting his body between player and ball and ushering everything out for a goal kick.

1h ago18.38 EDT78 min: Spence sashays down the right before shanking a cross out of play. “England were almost unwatchable in the first half but quality will out,” writes Colum Fordham. “Jude Bellingham has single-handedly turned this game around with a rapacious goal, a brilliant cross for Kane and several other delightful touches. He is our creative spark.”

1h ago18.36 EDT76 min: Diaz looks lively. Now he shoots from a tight angle on the right, winning a corner. And from the set piece, he’s found on the edge of the box, and hoicks over the crossbar. England suddenly look a bit complacent. This is realistically over, yes … but it isn’t actually over yet.

1h ago18.34 EDT74 min: Diaz, who has just come on, sends a close-range header goalwards after meeting a right-wing cross. “I chose the Stooges and don’t regret it, even though England has scored twice,” writes Rockin’ in the Rockies viewer Tracy Mohr. “Looks like England owes me one.”

1h ago18.32 EDT73 min: Eze comes on for Bellingham.

1h ago18.32 EDT72 min: The game restarts. Panama have replaced Barcenas and Jose Luis Rodriguez with Diaz and, aptly monickered for the occasion, Londono.

1h ago18.31 EDT71 min: As things stand now, England will be playing the sort-of African champions Senegal in the last 32. But the usual to-be-decided caveats apply.

1h ago18.29 EDT70 min: “I spoke to soon,” says Half-Time Postbag contributor Daniel Storey. “It is almost certainly coming home.”

1h ago18.28 EDT69 min: … and that’s bevvies.

1h ago18.28 EDT68 min: That’s Kane’s 11th goal at the World Cup, and he’s now got the record, briefly shared with Gary Lineker, all to himself.

1h ago18.27 EDTGOAL! Panama 0-2 England (Kane 67)Like London buses, two come along at once. Bellingham tears clear down the left, twists and turns Escobar, and crosses to the near post. Kane beats Andrade and powers a header into the top left. Game over!

Updated at 18.30 EDT1h ago18.25 EDT66 min: That’s put England back on top of Group L, from which they’ll be dispatched into theoretically the easier half of the draw.

1h ago18.24 EDT64 min: A free kick into the England box from the left hits Rogers on the arm … but that’s never going to be given. Arm across chest. Then in the second phase, Murillo whips a shot across Pickford and wide left of goal. England a bit sleepy after the sugar rush of the goal.

1h ago18.23 EDT63 min: The sub was worth waiting for, right? Spence comes on for the stricken Quansah, while Madueke replaces his Arsenal team-mate Saka.

1h ago18.21 EDTGOAL! Panama 0-1 England (Bellingham 62)The corner comes in from the left. Bellingham meets it at the near post, and flipper-flicks a shot into the bottom left while dancing/wrestling with Gutierrez. Simple as that!

Updated at 18.26 EDT1h ago18.20 EDT61 min: Quansah can’t continue. Before he can be replaced, it’s the corner, from which …

1h ago18.20 EDT60 min: … and one of them is Quansah, who has gone over on his ankle. Given England’s woes at right-back, this is the last thing they need. He’s also just been booked for previously clattering into an opponent.

1h ago18.19 EDT59 min: Panama are beginning to sniff opportunity, and are committing more men to attack as a result. But in turn that’s benefitting England, who have more space to romp into. Bellingham makes good down the left and wins a corner. But before it can be taken, there are a couple of fallen soldiers for the physios to deal with …

1h ago18.17 EDT57 min: Kane strides into space down the England inside-right channel. He smashes a rising diagonal shot that Mosquera parries with a strong hand.

1h ago18.16 EDT56 min: Anderson ships possession cheaply out on the Panama left. Jose Luis Rodriguez dribbles into a huge pocket of space, Konsa not closing any of it down. He curls powerfully towards the top right … but it’s high and wide. Had that been on target, Pickford might not have been getting there.

1h ago18.15 EDT55 min: Rashford tears down the left and into the box. He’s got Kane in the middle, but opts to have a go himself instead. He ripples the side netting.

Updated at 18.18 EDT1h ago18.14 EDT53 min: No corner, because Kane was blown for fouling. That was a bit soft. When play resumes, Fajardo is booked for a tug on Konsa’s shirt.

1h ago18.13 EDT52 min: Rashford whips a cross in from the left. Kane hopes to poke home from six yards, but Cordoba gets in ahead, kicking the ball against his own man Andrade and over the bar. Hopefully Tracy Mohr, of Half-Time Postbag fame, hasn’t switched over to the Three Stooges just yet, because she’d appreciate that slapstick genius.

1h ago18.10 EDT51 min: It’s been very scrappy since the restart, which will suit Panama down to the ground. England are struggling to get any rhythm going.