World Cup Group L Preview: Betting Predictions & Team Analysis

For much of Gareth Southgate's time in charge, England seemed to live in the space between major success and painful disappointment. The Three Lions reached the 2018 World Cup semifinals, the 2022 World Cup quarterfinals, and finished as runners-up at both Euro 2020 and Euro 2024. Thomas Tuchel now takes over with the goal of ending England's long wait and delivering the country's first World Cup title in 60 years. England enter the tournament with the third-shortest World Cup odds, behind only Spain and France.

Odds to win Group L

England -325
Croatia +340
Ghana +1300
Panama +4750

England supporters likely had an uneasy reaction when Croatia landed in the same group. Croatia were the team that knocked England out in extra time in the 2018 World Cup semifinals. Still, the Checkered Ones are no longer at the peak of their Golden Generation, and that has helped make England the odds-on favorite to finish first in Group L according to the World Cup futures market.

Odds to Win World Cup for Group L Teams

England +650
Croatia +9003
Ghana +50018
Panama +165053

There has been plenty of betting interest in England to win the World Cup, but Croatia's price near 100-1 is notable. Croatia were runners-up to France in 2018 and returned to the semifinals in 2022 before losing to eventual champion Argentina. That recent tournament history makes them a dangerous second option in this group, even if the market is not treating them like a true title threat.

Match Schedule

Ghana vs. Panama, June 17, 2026, at 7 p.m. ET from BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario (Match 21)

England vs. Croatia, June 17, 2026, at 4 p.m. ET from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas (Match 22)

England vs. Ghana, June 23, 2026, at 4 p.m. ET from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts (Match 45)

Panama vs. Croatia, June 23, 2026, at 7 p.m. ET from BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario (Match 46)

Panama vs. England, June 27, 2026, at 5 p.m. ET from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey (Match 67)

Croatia vs. Ghana, June 27, 2026, at 5 p.m. ET from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Match 68)

Team Previews

England

Thomas Tuchel has already started shaping England in his own image. His roster choices drew attention, especially with veterans and high-profile names like Harry Maguire, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Cole Palmer, and Phil Foden left out. The absences of Maguire and Alexander-Arnold stand out most because England's defense is now short on experience beyond John Stones.

There was never any question about Harry Kane's role. England's captain remains the headline player on the roster after becoming the country's all-time leading scorer by a wide margin. Since moving from Tottenham Hotspur to Bayern Munich three years ago, Kane has averaged more than a goal per match in Bundesliga play. He has also scored 78 goals in 112 appearances for England. Bukayo Saka of Arsenal and Marcus Rashford of Barcelona are expected to join him in the attack.

Midfield should be the strongest area of this team. Jordan Henderson is past his peak but is still expected to start with Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice. Bellingham has carried enormous expectations since becoming the youngest player ever called up by England at 16, and this World Cup should demand even more from him as one of the team's central figures.

Stones will be the defensive anchor, but the group around him comes with questions. Manchester City teammates Marc Guehi and Nico O'Reilly are likely to start near him, giving Tuchel some club-level familiarity to lean on. Both players are coming off strong Premier League seasons, and O'Reilly in particular could emerge as one of England's breakout players because of his versatility and attacking ability from wide areas.

Jordan Pickford remains England's No. 1 goalkeeper. The Everton veteran has been the first-choice option for almost a decade, with 331 club appearances and 82 caps for the Three Lions. He won the Golden Glove at Euro 2020 after keeping five clean sheets and continues to provide stability at the back.

Croatia

Croatia's sustained success on the international stage has been remarkable. Despite having fewer than four million people, the Checkered Ones have reached the World Cup semifinals in three of the last seven tournaments. Davor Suker was the country's first major global star, leading Croatia to the 1998 World Cup semifinals and winning the Golden Boot before the team fell to eventual champion France.

Luka Modric later picked up that mantle and became the greatest player in Croatian history. This World Cup is expected to be his farewell at age 40. The 2018 Ballon d'Or winner and World Cup Golden Ball recipient could make his 200th appearance for Croatia during the tournament if he stays healthy. He is no longer the same elite creator he once was, but he still brings quality, control, and leadership.

Ivan Perisic and Andrej Kramaric may also be entering their final World Cup runs. Perisic has consistently produced in major tournaments, combining for 10 goals and eight assists across the last three World Cups and last three European Championships. Kramaric has been dependable for both club and country, scoring 135 goals in 305 appearances for TSG Hoffenheim and 36 goals in 115 caps for Croatia.

Mateo Kovacic of Manchester City is the fourth player on the roster with more than 100 international appearances, and he is expected to operate in a deeper midfield role. Mario Pasalic and Nikola Vlasic should also see important minutes, though 22-year-old Petar Sucic could force his way into the starting lineup.

The defense is the biggest area of concern. Josko Gvardiol and Josip Stanisic are strong players in their mid-20s, but there are questions elsewhere in the back line. Croatia have started to refresh the squad in that area, though goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic may still prefer to have more experienced defenders in front of him.

Ghana

Expectations are modest for Ghana heading into the 2026 World Cup. Otto Addo guided the Black Stars through qualifying, but he was dismissed after four straight international losses. A 2-1 defeat to Germany was respectable, but a 5-1 loss to Austria pushed Ghana toward a coaching change. The team then turned to Carlos Queiroz, a veteran manager who has now coached eight national teams since 2000.

Andre Ayew was not included on the roster, leaving his brother Jordan Ayew to lead the squad. Jordan has scored 34 goals in 120 appearances for Ghana and is set to pass Andre as the most capped player in the country's history this summer. The rest of Ghana's forwards have combined for only seven international goals, so much of the attacking responsibility will fall on Ayew.

Thomas Partey and Antoine Semenyo will be key figures in midfield. Semenyo is coming off an excellent club season and has the chance to raise his profile with a strong World Cup performance.

The biggest concern is the defense, particularly at center back. Mohammed Salisu suffered a serious knee injury in January, and expected starter Alexander Djiku was dropped from the roster because of a hamstring injury in early June. Those absences create a difficult challenge for Queiroz, especially with England and Croatia bringing two of the more dangerous attacks in the group.

Panama

Panama are back at the World Cup for the second time. The Canal Men made their debut in 2018, but that tournament was a difficult introduction. They were beaten 6-1 by England and 3-0 by Belgium in their first two matches and finished last among the 32 teams. This time, simply earning a positive result would be a meaningful step forward.

Panama have generally held their own against CONCACAF opponents, but results outside the region have been more difficult. They were beaten 6-2 by Brazil at the end of May and opened 2026 with only a 1-1 draw against Bolivia.

There is not a deep pool of high-end talent on this roster. Luis Tejada and Blas Perez both retired in 2018, leaving Ismael Diaz and Jose Fajardo as the active leading scorers with 17 goals each. Diaz is probably the most dangerous player in the team and was excellent in the last two Gold Cups, including winning the Golden Boot at the 2025 Gold Cup.

The good news for Panama is that they do have experienced defenders. The Canal Men are likely to sit deep and protect their goal as much as possible against England and Croatia. A shift from a 3-4-2-1 setup into more of a 5-4-1 shape would not be surprising if Panama decide to prioritize defensive numbers.