Group L predictions: FIFA World Cup 2026
As we build up to FIFA World Cup 2026, Group L comes under the spotlight as we assess the prospects of England, Croatia, Ghana and Panama.
Fixtures
Matchday 1
England vs Croatia
Ghana vs Panama
Matchday 2
England vs Ghana
Panama vs Croatia
Matchday 3
Panama vs England
Croatia vs Ghana
Click here for a full breakdown of kick-off dates and times for FIFA World Cup 2026!
The final group at FIFA World 2026, Group L, is a relatively open affair as 1966 winners England come up against 2018 runners-up and 2022 third-place finishers Croatia, as well as African outfit Ghana and an improving Panama.
Thomas Tuchel enjoyed a positive qualification process as Three Lions boss as England won all their games without conceding a single goal. However, after finishing as runners’ up at both UEFA EURO 2020 and UEFA EURO 2024 under Gareth Southgate, only lifting the World Cup on July 19 under Tuchel will be considered a success by England fans.
Croatia, who defeated England in the semi-finals of FIFA World Cup 2018 in Russia, remain an experienced and impressive unit, always awkward to play against and capable of going deep, as they did with another semi-final appearance in Qatar three and a half years ago. But their main core is now ageing out and it’s hard to see them replicating their stellar runs in each of the previous two World Cups.
Ghana are one of the weaker African sides and have been hampered by an injury to Mohammed Kudus, which has ruled him out of the tournament. Therefore, lots of expectation will be placed on the shoulders of Man City star Antoine Semenyo.
Former Leeds United manager Thomas Christiansen is in charge of a Panama side that are a much better iteration of themselves than the ones that played at 2018 where they were famously beaten 6-1 by England. Their impressive showing in the 2024/25 CONCACAF Nations League, defeating the USA in the semi-finals, suggests they may be more awkward than many believe.
This may be the lowest scoring group in the tournament with Tuchel’s England notoriously strong defensively, Zlatko Dalic also quite reactive and the same can be said for both Carlos Quieroz of Ghana and Christiansen with the Panamanians.
England will likely top the group and navigate their way through without much jeopardy, whilst Croatia are again likely to make it into the knockout stages. A familiarity with the North American conditions may also help Panama in keeping control in games a bit more than the Black Stars of Ghana.
Predicted group placements
1st: England
2nd: Croatia
3rd: Panama
4th: Ghana
