World Cup Group L predictions, tips & odds

The 12th and final group at the 2026 FIFA World Cup is Group L, a group that featured England, Croatia, Ghana and Panama.

There was scrutiny on every English touch of the ball throughout the group, but Thomas Tuchel's side managed to secure top spot and advance into the round of 32.

Below, Football Whispers breaks down Group L in full, including fixtures, latest odds and predictions.

World Cup 2026 Group L winner odds

• England – Winners
• Croatia – Runners-ups
• Ghana – Qualified
• Panama – Eliminated

England were naturally seen as favourites to win Group L, and they managed to avoid any shocks by topping their group with seven points from nine, winning 2-0 against Panama on June 27.

World Cup 2026 Group L qualification odds

• England – Qualified
• Croatia – Qualified
• Ghana – Qualified
• Panama – Eliminated

Croatia beat Ghana 2-1 on June 27, ending the group stage with six points in second, whereas Ghana finished third and qualified for the knockouts thanks to their placement as one of the eight best third-ranked teams.

World Cup 2026 Group L fixtures: Match-by-match schedule

Gameweek 1

• England 4-2 Croatia

• Ghana 1-0 Panama

Gameweek 2

• England 0-0 Ghana

• Panama 0-1 Croatia

Gameweek 3

• Panama 0-2 England

• Croatia 2-1 Ghana

2026 World Cup Group L predictions and betting angles

England

In terms of squad depth, the only other nation that is arguably superior to England's is France, which automatically makes the Three Lions serious contenders for the World Cup this summer.

Tuchel's men flew through qualifying, winning all eight of their matches, scoring 22 goals and conceding none in the process, and the fact they looked so creative against Croatia will be seen as a positive by the head coach.

One major plus point for the 1966 champions is the number of players they have in great club form. Harry Kane scored 61 goals in all competitions for Bayern Munich in 25/26, while Declan Rice led Arsenal to their first Premier League title in 22 years.

If those two play at their top level and the other players around them step up, then England can finally end 60 years of hurt, though the team must improve their overall displays if they are to stand a chance of winning the competition.

Croatia

Croatia were considered the most likely team to finish second in Group L prior to the start of the competition, and their hard-fought win over Ghana confirmed that they still possess the quality to trouble opponents.

However, while some of the biggest names from that 2018 squad, including Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic, have featured this time around, this is largely a group of players either past their best or not at the level of the previous generation.

Croatia have made it through Group L, but it remains to be seen how they perform in the knockouts.

Ghana

Ever since their run to the quarter-finals in 2010, Ghana have felt like staples at the World Cup, and they provided plenty of entertainment back in 2022 before crashing out in the group stages.

This time around, they are being led into the tournament by Carlos Queiroz, who was only appointed as the new manager in April. The former Real Madrid manager has become a bit of an international specialist over the past decade, although his record at World Cups is not particularly good (18 games, five wins, four draws, nine losses).

Ghana looked far from their best against Panama, but their defensive resilience was on full display against England, earning a point following a goalless stalemate.

Though they suffered a 2-1 defeat against Croatia, all that mattered was progressing, and they have achieved their original goal.

Panama

Panama competed at just their second-ever World Cup this summer, and just like in 2018, they were placed in the same group as England.

In Russia, Panama succumbed to a 6-1 defeat to England, and they at least proved stubborn despite eventually losing 2-0.

Thomas Christiansen Tarin's side went unbeaten in their qualifying group, and they have enjoyed some impressive wins over the past 18 months, including a 1-0 victory over the USA in March 2025.

However, a 1-0 loss against Ghana, a 2-1 defeat to Croatia and a 2-0 loss to England has resulted in their elimination from the World Cup with zero points to their name.

Final Group L prediction

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

Group L best bets

Before you place your bet, make sure to check out the best World Cup 2026 betting offers for this summer's tournament.