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WORLD CUP 2006 DRAW
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The World Cup 2006 draw took place on 9 December 2006 in Leipzig, Germany

England were one of the top eight seeds in the draw. FIFA's ranking co-efficient was used to determine the seeds which took into account performances in the last two World Cups (and especially 2002) and the world ranking over the last three years. This gave England second seeding behind Brazil but ahead of Spain (3rd), Germany (4th), Mexico (5th), France (6th), Argentina (7th) and Italy (8th). The draw is shown below (with team 1 playing teams 2, then team 3 and then team 4 in that order).
 

Group A:
1 Germany
2 Costa Rica
3 Poland
4 Ecuador
Group B:
1 England
2 Paraguay
3 Trinidad & Tobago
4 Sweden                                              
                        
Group C:
1 Argentina
2 Ivory Coast
3 Serbia and Montenegro
4 Holland
Group D:
1 Mexico
2 Portugal
3 Angola
4 Iran                                              
                        
Group E:
1 Italy
2 Ghana
3 USA
4 Czech Republic
Group F:
1 Brazil
2 Croatia
3 Australia
4 Japan                                             
                        
Group G:
1 France
2 Switzerland
3 South Korea
4 Togo
Group H:
1 Spain
2 Ukraine
3 Tunisia
4 Saudi Arabia                                              
                        

*** The section below was written before the World Cup began. For the latest fixtures and results click here ***
 

The top two teams from each group qualify for the next stage. England face Sweden again as they did in the World Cup 2002 group stages and also face Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago.

England's last played Sweden in a friendly in March 2004 and lost 1-0 away in Gothenburg. In the last competitive match between these teams England got a 1-1 draw at the World Cup 2002.

England's last result against Paraguay was a 4-0 win in 2002 but Paraguay did beat Argentina 1-0 at home and drew with Brazil 0-0 at home during their World Cup 2006 Qualification campaign. Paraguay eventually came fourth in that South American group behind Brazil, Argentina and Ecuador.

England have not played Trinidad and Tobago before and this is their first World Cup finals but have several players who play or have played in England including Dwight Yorke and Stern John.

The winners of England's group play the runners up of group A in the second round and the runners up in England's group play the winners of group B. For more second round, quarter finals, semi finals and final information (including dates) click on the World Cup 2006 screenchart


The World Cup 2006 finals will be held between 9 June and 9 July 2006 with the final in Berlin, Germany.
 

See all England's results between Euro 1996 and the end of 2005 here.

 
 
World Cup 2006, England Football, England Soccer