Group L · FIFA World Cup 2026
Group L — Tuchel's England vs Croatia's 2018 SF rematch
Tuchel's first England tournament. Modrić's fifth World Cup at age 40. Ghana under Carlos Queiroz's 72-day takeover. Panama's second WC.
Teams in Group L
Group L overview
Group L is the late-MD1 group and contains the most-significant historical rematch of the tournament. England vs Croatia — the 2018 World Cup semi-final, where Croatia won 2-1 in extra time at Luzhniki Moscow — replays as the opening match of Group L. Both squads' 2018 cores are heavily reduced but the narrative still matters.
Thomas Tuchel's first England tournament. The German coach was appointed October 2024 after the dismissal of Gareth Southgate following the Euro 2024 final loss. Squad: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich).
Luka Modrić at 40 — at his fifth World Cup, the only outfield player at this tournament to have played at five previous Cups. He continues to play for Real Madrid in 2025-26 as a creative midfielder, having been Croatia's captain since 2018.
Ghana under Carlos Queiroz — appointed just 72 days before the tournament after the dismissal of Otto Addo. Squad: Antoine Semenyo (Manchester City, £64m January 2026 signing), Mohammed Kudus (Tottenham — hamstring doubt), Thomas Partey (Arsenal). Panama under Thomas Christiansen at their second consecutive World Cup.
Full match schedule
All six Group L fixtures with live odds from our three partner bookmakers — Mostbet, Fonbet, 1xBet. Click any match for the full preview, predicted lineups and value-bet picks.
Standings outlook & knockout path
Most likely winner: England (priced around 1.50). Tuchel's tactical setup plus Bellingham's individual quality give them the cleanest path to first place.
Most likely runner-up: Croatia. Modrić's experience plus the next-generation core (Sucic at Inter, Petković at Dortmund, Stanišić at Bayer) keeps them competitive against any side.
Best longshot for second: Ghana. Queiroz's defensive setup plus Semenyo's Premier League directness can produce upsets.
Panama bottom is the modal outcome — but Christiansen's tactical organisation will earn one win, probably against Ghana.
Group L venues
| Fixture | Venue | City | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| England vs Croatia · 17 Jun | MetLife Stadium | East Rutherford NJ | 82,500 |
| Ghana vs Panama · 17 Jun | BMO Field | Toronto | 45,736 |