FIFA World Cup 2026 Group L: England face old foes in final group

The final World Cup group, Group L, sees Thomas Tuchel’s England take centre stage. The Three Lions are one of the favourites to lift the trophy, but history is not on their side, with no World Cup win since 1966. 

They enter Group L alongside Croatia, Panama and Ghana and below you can find my FIFA World Cup 2026 Group L predictions. 

World Cup 2026 Odds

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England

World Ranking: 4

To win the group: 3/10

England won eight from eight in their qualifying campaign, and didn’t concede a single goal as Tuchel’s side cruised through to another World Cup. This squad has been building towards a trophy over the last three tournaments, reaching the final of the last two Euros under Gareth Southgate.

However, the appointment of Tuchel has been to get the Three Lions over the line in these major tournament games. There’s no doubt that England have some of the best players in the world in the form of Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice, but can they knit it all together in the latter stages of the tournament?

Talking of the squad, Tuchel has some big decisions to make before Friday’s announcement. Phil Foden and Trent Alexander-Arnold are two massive names that are at risk, while Cole Palmer, Bukayo Saka and Morgan Rogers should all be included. 

If Tuchel handles the pressure of expectation as well as Southgate did, of course England have a chance. But it will be in those crucial moments when big tactical decisions have to be made where he will truly earn his crust. 

Key Player: Harry Kane

Captain Kane struggled at Euro 2024, but he is England’s best player and arguably, the best player in the world right now. He’s coming off the back of an outrageously good season with Bayern Munich, having scored 58 goals in 50 matches in all competitions. 

Fourteen of those came in 13 Champions League matches and he scored home and away in the quarter-final against Real Madrid and the semi-final against PSG. Kane needs a big performance this summer, and he will be the main man if England do go all the way. Get his hands on the World Cup and he could well win the Ballon d’Or. 

Prediction: If England do make it to the last four, how will that be viewed by the press? It’s tough to say it will be a failure given the fine margins in the sport, but winning it does feel like the only satisfactory option this time around. 

I’ve got England winning this group, and then beating Senegal in the first knockout round - just as they did in Qatar. A last 16 game against Mexico in Mexico City looks like a tough test too, but I’d back them to win that before a quarter-final tie possibly against Norway. If England stop Erling Haaland and Co. there is a route through to the final four - but Portugal could prove to be too strong. 

I’m not convinced this is England’s year despite the talent they possess, but they have a decent chance of going all the way. 

Croatia 

World Ranking: 11

To win the group: 10/3

Croatia also made light work of reaching the World Cup finals as they topped their qualification group unbeaten. Seven wins and one draw was some going, although their group was kind, with Czech Republic finishing second and Faroe Islands in third.

The aging squad that has been spoken about for years, and reached the final of the 2018 World Cup has changed slightly, but 40-year-old Luke Modric still captains the side. He’s closing in on 200 caps, and will be supported by Mateo Kovacic and Ivan Perisic, two players with huge experience. 

That’s certainly not lacking in this squad, with Ante Budimir and Andrej Kramaric both 34 years old, but Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol and Jospi Stanisic of Bayern Munich do make up a defensive unit that is more towards its peak. 

In an extended World Cup, with more games than ever, it will be interesting to see how this older squad deals with the tests North America will throw at it. 

Key Player: Josko Gvardiol

A bit boring to pick a defender as the key player? Perhaps. Gvardiol had a breakout tournament at the 2022 World Cup, even if he was famously turned inside-out by Lionel Messi in the semi-final. With the ageing defenders and midfielders trying to create something, it does feel as though Croatia will need to rely upon a strong defence to get far. 

Gvardiol has only just come back from a broken tibia and has missed a lot of the season for Manchester City, but he should be fit to start in this tournament, either as part of the back three, at left-back, or centre-back. I’m expecting him to grow into this World Cup, and establish himself as one of the best defenders in the world. 

Prediction: Last 16

Croatia should be able to get out of what is a kind group on paper, but I don’t think they will topple England. If they finish second they may face a tough test against Colombia which they could win, but in the last 16 they could come up against Spain. 

Zlatko Dalic’s Croatia are in the second bracket of European teams in my mind, but they are unlikely to create a massive upset as they did back in 2018 as they reached the final. This will be the end of the road for Modric, and what a run he’s had at the top level. 

Panama @ 50/1

World Ranking: 33

To win the group: 50/1

Panama made it through to the World Cup, as they did back in 2018 for the first time, and just like eight years ago, they’ve been placed in England’s group. Their qualification campaign deserves huge credit, as they topped their group, winning three and drawing three in their final group stage, against El Salvador, Suriname and Guatemala.

Thomas Christiansen has been in charge since 2020 and they have steadily grown in CONCACAF, although it remains arguably the weakest qualification group to make it to the World Cup. Jose Cordoba of Norwich is the only player plying his trade in England, while four of the most recent squad play in Mexico.

Jose Fajardo offers experience up top and will hope to bag a goal or two, but this does look to be a really tough ask for Panama. They are ranked 33rd in the world due to their strong qualification campaign, but getting a single point in this group will be seen as a success. 

Key Player: Amir Murillo

Amir Murillo is without a doubt the highest calibre player in this Panama squad, having played seven times in this season’s Champions League for Marseille, before a £5m move in January to Besiktas. 

The right-back is set to play a key role for his country here, possibly at right wing-back, and will have to provide energy and thrust from that right flank. He’s got 91 caps for his country, and will want to make sure his side aren’t camped outside their own box for the entirety of this group stage.

Prediction: Panama scored twice at the 2018 World Cup, once against England, and if they can bag another two goals here it would be a major success. Getting a point would be massive, but there is seemingly no way they can make it out of the group. It would be a massive shock.

Ghana

World Ranking: 74

To win the group: 10/1

Carlos Quieroz is in charge of another international team, this time as head coach of Ghana. He was only appointed in April but has been chosen as the man to lead them into the tournament, and they did look good in qualifying. 

They topped their group with 25 points out of 30, and could make a big impact at this summer’s World Cup, if Quieroz can get the balance right. He’s often been known as a defence-first coach, but this Ghanaian squad is so top-heavy that surely his side will have to go and chase goals. 

Antoine Semenyo is now a global star, but he will be supported in attack by any of Leicester City duo Jordan Ayew and Abdul Fatawu, Kamaldeen Sulumana, Inaki Williams and Brandon Thomas-Asante. It’s a remarkable front line, while Tottenham Hotspur’s Mohammed Kudus will want to play a key role, having scored the winner against Comoros to take Ghana to these finals.  

Key Player: Antoine Semenyo 

The obvious pick, but the right one. Semenyo has taken things up a level since his January move to Manchester City, with his recent backheel winner in the FA Cup final just a glimpse of his talents. He now has 20 goals in all competitions this term, and will want to make his mark against some of the best teams in the world this summer. 

Ghana have loads of quality forward-thinking players, but Semenyo is the pick of the bunch. Expect a big tournament from him, and a lot of goals from Ghana. 

Prediction: I have Ghana qualifying from this group in third, as they should beat Panama. If they can grab second ahead of Croatia the draw may open up for them, but finishing third will likely set up a last-32 clash with Portugal. 

They could beat a lot of European teams in this competition, but are unlikely to get past a giant such as England in the group, or Portugal in the first knockout road.

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