World Cup 2026: England extend unwanted record after Ghana goalless draw

World Cup 2026: England extend unwanted record after Ghana goalless draw

England added Ghana to a growing list of opponents after playing out a 0-0 draw in the second round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage.

The result saw the Three Lions extend an unwanted record in the history of the tournament.

The stalemate on Tuesday marked England’s 13th goalless draw at the FIFA World Cup. It is the highest number recorded by any national team in the competition, according to Opta statistics.

The latest result continued a trend that has followed the Three Lions across different generations and World Cup eras, with several major football nations contributing to the record over the years.

England’s first scoreless draw at the World Cup came against Brazil during the 1958 edition. Four years later, they were again held to a goalless result by Bulgaria at the 1962 tournament.

During the 1966 World Cup, which England eventually won on home soil, they also played out a 0-0 draw against Uruguay in the group stage.

The record continued to grow in the 1982 edition, where England registered two goalless matches against West Germany and Spain. Morocco then joined the list after holding England to a scoreless draw at the 1986 World Cup.

Years later, Algeria frustrated England with another 0-0 result during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. England’s sequence of goalless World Cup draws also includes matches against the Netherlands in 1990, Nigeria in 2002, Portugal in 2006, Costa Rica in 2014, and the United States during the 2022 edition.

Ghana have now become the latest nation to keep England scoreless on football’s biggest stage following Tuesday’s encounter in the 2026 tournament.

England have been involved in 13 goalless draws at the World Cup – more than any other side:

▪️ England 0-0 Brazil, 1958 ▪️ England 0-0 Bulgaria, 1962 ▪️ England 0-0 Uruguay, 1966 ▪️ England 0-0 West Germany, 1982 ▪️ England 0-0 Spain, 1982 ▪️ England 0-0 Morocco, 1986 ▪️… pic.twitter.com/aS23QxSzaY

— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) June 23, 2026

England will now aim for a win against Panama in their last group game to advance to the knockout stage as winners of Group L.

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