Preview of Group L in the 2026 World Cup, featuring England, Croatia, Ghana, and Panama.
A top-heavy group, England and Croatia are clearly more talented than their other Group L counterparts.
England is the heavy favorite to win the group, but Croatia has perennially been a dark horse at the World Cup. The latter notably knocked out the former in the 2018 World Cup semifinals, but England won their most recent meeting in the 2020 UEFA Euro group stage.
Group L Teams
Nation | World Ranking | World Cup Appearances |
England | 4 | 17 |
Croatia | 11 | 8 |
Ghana | 74 | 5 |
Panama | 33 | 2 |
England
England's roster construction has been a major talking point leading up to the tournament, as talent like Cole Palmer, Phil Foden, and Trent Alexander-Arnold were left all the team.
Instead, veteran Jordan Henderson and striker Ivan Tovey made the final cut, alongside their leader Harry Kane.
They allowed zero goals in their qualifying campaign, becoming the first European nation to secure their spot at the World Cup.
Croatia
40-year-old Luka Modric is still leading the Croatia squad - this is the fifth World Cup he'll play in.
The country finished as the runners-up in 2018 and in third place in 2022, and they're expected to be a dangerous contender at this year's tournament as well.
The roster has a blend of experience and young, rising talent, including teenager Luka Vuskovic.
Ghana
Newly-hired manager Carlos Queiroz has prioritized defense and fitness ahead of the World Cup, in hopes his team can keep it close before pulling off an upset late in the game.
Jordan Ayew led the team in scoring and assists in their qualifying path, while Premier League talents Mohammed Kudus and Antoine Semenyo are strong players as well.
Panama
While drawn into a difficult group, Panama has an opportunity to win points against Ghana and hope to potentially advance as the third team in the group.
They have a lot of momentum coming in after going undefeated in the early stages of CONCACAF qualifying.
Led by Jose Fajardo, Cecilio Waterman, and Adalberto Carrasquilla, they could be a dangerous team if they get out of the group stage.
Group L Match Schedule
Date | |||
June 17 | England | vs. | Croatia |
June 17 | Ghana | vs. | Panama |
June 23 | England | vs. | Ghana |
June 23 | Panama | vs. | Croatia |
June 27 | Panama | vs. | England |
June 27 | Croatia | vs. | Ghana |
Group L Betting Odds
To Win Group L
England | -350 |
Croatia | +350 |
Ghana | +1000 |
Panama | +5000 |
To Advance to Knockout Stage From Group L
Yes | No | |
England | -6600 | +2000 |
Croatia | -400 | +275 |
Ghana | -188 | +137 |
Panama | +175 | -250 |
Discover more from bet365
Read the latest World Cup news on site.
Every Team to Qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
World Cup History & Records.
Odds displayed within this article were correct at the time of writing and are subject to change.
