The England men's national football team was eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup following a semi-final defeat to Argentina. England opened the scoring with a goal from Anthony Gordon, but Argentina equalized through Enzo Fernandez in the 85th minute before securing the victory.
The tournament run included several high-scoring matches, such as a 4-2 opening victory against Croatia and a 3-2 win over Mexico in the quarter-finals. Midfielder Jude Bellingham emerged as a key contributor, scoring multiple goals throughout the knockout stages, including two against both Mexico and Norway.
Public interest in the tournament fluctuated following a scoreless draw against Ghana in the group stage, though fan engagement remained high in the United Kingdom despite local kick-off times occurring as late as 4 a.m. Preliminary reporting suggests initial fan enthusiasm was tempered by concerns regarding high ticket prices for the tournament held in North America. Following the semi-final loss, England has now gone 60 years without winning a major international trophy.