England World Cup fixtures 2022: Gareth Southgate's route to the final

England will be looking to end 56 years of hurt at the World Cup in Qatar.

Gareth Southgate's side have come agonisingly close to ending their trophy hunt in recent years, reaching the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia and losing out on penalties to Italy at last year's Euro 2020 final.

The 2022 World Cup is now within touching distance, however, and the Three Lions will once again take to the international stage with renewed optimism this will be their year.

Seven games stand in England's way of lifting the presigious trophy in December, with the final taking place the 80,000-seater Lusail Stadium on 18 December.

The group stage draw in April was favourable for England, who will be supremely confident of reaching the knockouts once more.

There, it will quickly get considerably harder, with the likes of France and Argentina potentially awaiting them by the quarter-finals. Sportsmail takes you through the full route to the final below.

The Group Stage

England, who were drawn into Group B, will play on the second day of the tournament as they take on Iran, a side they have never faced in a senior competitive international.

They will also face the United States, who they have met twice in the World Cup finals - in 1950 and 2010 - but never beaten.

The final fixture will be against a number of familiar faces in Wales, who beat Ukraine in the play-offs to secure their qualification for the tournament.

Fixtures:

The Round of 16

This is where things get slightly more complicated, as both the fixture dates and potential opponents change depending on whether England win the group or finish as runners-up.

If England are to finish top of Group B, then next up would be the runner-up from Group A - which is comprised of Qatar, Ecuador, Senegal and Netherlands.

In that predicament, it's the Netherlands who are favourites to prevail as Group A winners, meaning Africa Cup of Nations winners Senegal would be England's likely opponents.

The match would be played on December 4 at the Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor.

If England finish as runners-up, however, their last-16 clash would come a day earlier on December 3, with the clash taking place at the Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan.

They would instead come up against the Group A winners, which, as stated, is likely to be the Netherlands.

The Quarter-finals

Again, who England play at the quarter-final stage entirely depends on whether they win Group B or not - though either way they are guaranteed to play a team from Group C or D.

Included in Group C are Argentina, Saudi Arabia, Mexico and Poland, while vying for a knockout stage place in Group D are France, Denmark, Tunisia and Australia.

If England win Group B - and subsequently get past the challenge of the Group A runner-up - they will play the winner of the last-16 clash between the Group D winner and the Group C runner-up.

That would make France England's most likely quarter-final opponents.

Les Bleus are likely to win Group D, and if Argentina win Group C, as expected, the reigning champions will certainly be the favourites to beat any of Saudi Arabia, Mexico or Poland.

The game would take place on December 10 at the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor.

If England are to finish as Group runners-up - and beat the Group A winners - the clash would take place a day earlier on December 9. In this scenario, it would be played at the Lusail Iconic Stadium.

They would, in this scenario, come up against the winner of the last-16 clash between the Group C winner and the Group D runner-up.

Argentina would therefore be England's most likely quarter-final opponents. Of course, as likely Group D runners-up, Denmark could also upset the odds and beat Lionel Messi's side.

The Semi-finals

In the semi-finals, we know England will play a team from either Group E, F, G or H.

This means England could technically play any of the following: Spain, Costa Rica/New Zealand, Germany, Japan, Belgium, Canada, Morocco, Croatia, Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon, Portugal, Ghana, Uruguay or South Korea.

This narrows down, however, again depending on where England finish in Group B.

As Group B winners, England, in progressing to the last-four, could square off in a mammoth clash against Group F winners Belgium or Group H winners Portugal.

The game would take place Wednesday, December 14 at the Al Bayt Stadium at 7pm.

As runners-up, Southgate's side could come up against one of Spain, Germany or Brazil, being either Group E or Group G winners.

The game would take place Tuesday, December 13 at the Lusail Stadium at 7pm.

The final

The final is, essentially just the opposite of the semi-final. Should England win Group B, it's Spain, Germany or Brazil they are likely to take on, having already beaten one of Portugal or Belgium.

As Group B runners-up, it's Belgium or Portugal who would be the likely opponents for England, having already beaten one of Spain, Germany or Brazil.

The final will take place on Sunday, December 18 at the Lusail Stadium at 3pm.