2026 World Cup Group L Preview: Rosters, Favorites, Predictions

Introduction

Group L at the 2026 World Cup looks like one of the most storyline-driven groups in the tournament’s opening stage. It features England, Croatia, Ghana, and Panama — teams with different levels of expectation, different World Cup histories, and very different styles of play. The headline storyline is England's rematch with Croatia, the team that knocked them out in the 2018 World Cup semifinals. For England, this is not just a group-stage match, but a high-stakes rivalry with a strong emotional backdrop.

England head into the tournament with huge ambitions. After reaching the Euro 2024 final and several years of consistent results, this team is once again expected to compete for the title.The roster allows England to aim for the highest goals: they have one of the best strikers in the world, a strong midfield, powerful wide options, and excellent squad depth.

Croatia remain England’s main rivals in the group. Despite the age of their leaders, the team still knows how to play tournament football, control the rhythm, and get the maximum out of key matches. On paper, Ghana and Panama look like underdogs, but both national teams are capable of making life difficult for the favorites. Ghana are traditionally dangerous because of their physicality and individual talent, while Panama know how to play with aggression, compactness, and emotion.

Group L may not look like the most difficult group on paper, but in terms of intrigue, it is definitely one of the most notable. There is a revenge match, a battle of generations, an African team with major potential, and a CONCACAF side that has already faced England at a World Cup.

Group Teams

England

England enter the tournament as the main favorites in Group L. After the Euro 2024 final, expectations around the team remain extremely high: supporters are once again talking not just about reaching the knockout stage, but about fighting for a first World Cup title since 1966. England will begin their group campaign against Croatia on June 17 at AT T Stadium in Arlington, and the opening match will already be a serious test of the team’s ambitions.

The national team have one of the strongest rosters at the tournament. In attack, there are Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford, Noni Madueke, and Jude Bellingham, who has already become one of the central figures in the national team. In midfield, England can combine physicality, intelligence, and control of the ball, while out wide they can create constant pressure.

The main star is Harry Kane. The striker remains the leader of the national team, its top scorer, and the player around whom the attacking structure is built. His ability to play with his back to goal, find space between the lines, and finish attacks makes England especially dangerous against teams that defend deep.

England’s main question is psychological resilience. In recent years, the team have often gone far, but in decisive moments they have lacked the final step. Group L gives England the opportunity to set the tone for the tournament immediately, but the match against Croatia could either strengthen their confidence or bring old questions back to the surface.

Croatia

Croatia are England’s main opponents in Group L and a team that has long earned a reputation as one of Europe’s most awkward tournament fighters. The 2018 World Cup final and third place at the 2022 World Cup showed that Croatia know how to go deep in major tournaments even when they are not considered outright favorites.

Croatia’s biggest strength is experience and tempo control. The team does not always play spectacular football, but it knows how to withstand pressure, avoid panic after conceding, and steer matches toward scenarios that suit them. Croatia are especially dangerous in tight games, where the cost of a mistake rises sharply.

The main star is Luka Modrić. Even at 40, he remains the symbol of the national team and one of the main figures in the dressing room. In May 2026, Modrić was included in Croatia’s preliminary roster for the tournament despite recovering from cheekbone surgery; for him, the 2026 World Cup could already be the fifth World Cup of his career.

Josko Gvardiol, Mateo Kovacic, Andrej Kramaric, and Ivan Perisic are also important around him. Croatia are gradually renewing the team, but they still rely on experienced players who know how to handle big matches. That is why the meeting with England will not be just a game for points, but a test of how ready Croatia’s new generation is to continue the tradition of successful tournament performances.

Ghana

Ghana head into the 2026 World Cup as a team capable of springing a surprise. Formally, they are behind England and Croatia in terms of squad depth and consistency, but in individual talent and physical power, they can cause problems for any opponent.

The Ghana national team traditionally plays with emotion, aggression, and verticality. The team likes to move quickly from defense to attack, use the speed of its wide players, and impose duels in midfield. Against England and Croatia, Ghana are likely to play without the initiative, but that is exactly the kind of mode in which they can be especially dangerous.

The main star is Antoine Semenyo of Manchester City. The forward has power, pace, and the ability to create chances on his own, and his form could become one of the key factors for Ghana in the fight for the knockout stage. At the same time, the situation with Mohammed Kudus remains uncertain: he is injured, so it is still unclear whether he will be able to play at the World Cup.

Thomas Partey, Iñaki Williams, and other players with experience in European leagues are also important. Ghana’s main problem is inconsistency. The team can produce a strong performance against a favorite, but then drop points where it needs to play more pragmatically. In Group L, that is especially dangerous because the match against Panama may become a must-win game.

Panama

Panama are the main underdogs in Group L, but this team should not be treated as an easy opponent. Panama already played at the World Cup in 2018, where they faced England in the group stage. England won 6-1, but for Panama, the debut itself was an important historic milestone.

The team relies on discipline, toughness, set pieces, and emotional involvement. Panama rarely dominate possession, but they can make matches difficult through compact defending and duels. At a World Cup, teams like this often become awkward opponents, especially if the favorites fail to score early.

The main star is Adalberto Carrasquilla. The midfielder is responsible for ball progression, battles in the middle of the pitch, and the connection between defense and attack. His role is especially important for Panama because without a quality way to play out from pressure, the team risks being pinned too deep near its own goal.

Panama’s main task is to take points from their opening match against Ghana. If they lose the first round, they will then have to face Croatia and England under heavy pressure. But if Panama can grab a draw or a win, the group could become much less predictable.

Favorites and Underdogs

The main favorite in Group L is England. The team have the strongest roster, the deepest bench, and the highest level of individual talent. England are expected to reach the knockout stage and fight for first place. At the same time, their tournament path could depend heavily on their final group position: analysts have already noted that first and second place in Group L could lead to different knockout-bracket scenarios.

Croatia are England’s main rivals. The team may be behind in terms of pace and squad depth, but they compensate with experience, organization, and the ability to play decisive matches. If Croatia avoid defeat against England in the opening round, the fight for first place will remain open until the end.

Ghana look like the leading candidate to become the surprise team. They have physicality, bright attacking players, and motivation to return to the World Cup knockout stage. But to do that, they need to take points against Panama and in at least one match against the favorites.

Panama remain the underdogs, but they can influence the final table. The match against Ghana is especially important: if Panama avoid defeat, the battle for third place and a potential place in the round of 32 among the best third-placed teams will become much more interesting.

For fans and prediction lovers, Group L is an ideal option for analysis: there is a favorite under huge pressure, a Croatian team with tournament pedigree, a dangerous Ghana side, and Panama, who can spoil plans. Match analysis and predictions for every game of the tournament are available for you on Winio.

Key Players in the Group

Harry Kane – England

Club: Bayern Munich
England’s main striker and attacking leader. Kane is important not only as a goalscorer, but also as a player who connects midfield with attack. His movement between the lines could be the key against the deep defenses of Ghana and Panama.

Jude Bellingham – England

Club: Real Madrid
One of the most important players of England’s new generation. Bellingham combines physicality, technique, off-ball movement, and the ability to arrive in the box at the right moment. In high-level matches, he could become the main source of pressure from deep.

Luka Modrić – Croatia

Club: Milan
The symbol of the Croatian national team and the main carrier of its tournament experience. Even if his playing time is limited, Modrić remains the player who sets the rhythm, helps control the ball, and manages the emotional state of the team.

Joško Gvardiol – Croatia

Club: Manchester City
Croatia’s key defender and one of the leaders of the new generation. Gvardiol is important defensively, in build-up play, and when facing the quick wide players of England and Ghana.

Antoine Semenyo – Ghana

Club: Manchester City
Ghana’s main attacking star. Semenyo combines pace, power, and the ability to take responsibility, compete for balls, move into free spaces, and create chances on his own. For Ghana, his individual quality could be one of their main hopes of pulling off an upset.

Adalberto Carrasquilla – Panama

Club: Pumas
Panama’s central figure in midfield. He is responsible for duels, ball progression, and the balance between defense and attack. If he handles the pressure, Panama will be able to stay in games longer against stronger opponents.

Key Group Matches

England – Croatia

The main match of Group L and one of the most high-stakes fixtures of the entire group stage. England will remember the 2018 World Cup semifinal, where Croatia won 2-1 after extra time and reached the final. In 2026, this rivalry gets a new context: England have become more mature, while Croatia head into the tournament with a renewed but still very experienced roster.

For England, this is a chance to start the tournament with symbolic revenge. For Croatia, it is an opportunity to prove again that they cannot be written off even against a more star-studded opponent.

England – Ghana

The second important match for England. If the team beat Croatia, the meeting with Ghana could become an opportunity to settle qualification early. If the start is unsuccessful, the pressure will rise sharply. Ghana will be dangerous in transition phases, so England must control their turnovers.

Croatia – Ghana

Probably the decisive match for second place if England confirm their status as favorites. Croatia will try to control the tempo and stop Ghana from breaking into space, while the Ghanaians will look for room behind the defenders. This game could determine who approaches the knockout stage in the stronger position.

Ghana – Panama

A match that could completely change the complexion of the group. For Ghana, victory is almost mandatory if they want to fight for qualification. For Panama, this is the most realistic chance to take points and join the race for third place.

Group L Match Schedule

Round 1

• June 17, 23:00 Moscow time – England vs. Croatia
• June 18, 02:00 Moscow time – Ghana vs. Panama

Round 2

• June 23, 23:00 Moscow time – England vs. Ghana
• June 24, 02:00 Moscow time – Panama vs. Croatia

Round 3

• June 28, 00:00 Moscow time – Panama vs. England
• June 28, 00:00 Moscow time – Croatia vs. Ghana

The official Group L fixture list includes England’s matches against Croatia, Ghana, and Panama; the final round will be played simultaneously, as required for the battle for places in the group.

Historical Context

The main historical storyline in Group L is the rivalry between England and Croatia. The teams have met many times, but the most painful match for England remains the 2018 World Cup semifinal. England took an early lead through Kieran Trippier, but Croatia equalized, and Mario Mandžukić scored the winning goal in extra time.

For Croatia, that match became one of the most important in the national team’s history: they reached the World Cup final for the first time. For England, it was another reminder of how thin the line can be between historic success and painful elimination.

England and Panama have already met at the 2018 World Cup. Back then, England thrashed their opponents 6-1, with Harry Kane scoring a hat-trick. For Panama, that tournament was their debut, and even a heavy defeat to England did not diminish the historic significance of their participation.

England and Ghana have previously crossed paths only in a 2011 friendly, which ended 1-1. Croatia and Ghana did not have a rich history of World Cup head-to-head meetings before Group L, and neither did Panama and Croatia. That means the 2026 tournament could create new rivalry lines.

Ghana have their own bright historical context. The team’s best World Cup result is the 2010 quarterfinal, where they were one kick away from the semifinals. Panama, meanwhile, continue to build their history on the global stage after their 2018 debut.

Prediction

England look like the main favorites in Group L. The team have the strongest roster, a wide range of attacking options, and huge experience from major tournaments in recent years. If England handle the pressure in the opening match against Croatia, they should finish first.

Croatia are the main candidates for second place. Despite the age of their leaders, the team still knows how to play pragmatically, patiently, and effectively. Their experience could become the decisive factor in matches against Ghana and Panama.

Ghana can get involved in the fight for the knockout stage. To do that, they need to beat Panama and take points in at least one match against the favorites. The potential is there, but consistency remains the main question.

Panama are most likely to finish fourth in the group. But if the team can grab points in the opening round, they could make the battle for third place much more tense.

Predicted Group L Standings:

1. England
2. Croatia
3. Ghana
4. Panama

Group L looks comfortable for England only at first glance. In practice, there is a rematch with Croatia, a physically powerful Ghana side, and Panama, who will play without unnecessary pressure. But if England are genuine title contenders, they need to get through groups like this confidently — from first place and with no room for excuses.