Group L — the line-up
- England
- Croatia
- Ghana
- Panama
The opening match
England vs Panama — Tuesday 16 June, AT&T Stadium, Arlington
The defining match
England vs Croatia — date confirms at fifa.com closer to kickoff, AT&T Stadium, Arlington
What’s at stake
England-Croatia for the third straight major tournament — Tuchel’s English side meets Modrić’s final WC. England qualified 8/8 with zero goals conceded but lost March friendlies to Japan and Uruguay. Ghana are organized; Panama are the makeweights. Modrić plays his 5th WC at 40 for Croatia in what genuinely looks like his farewell.
Top scorer market
Harry Kane (England) — captain at career-best form (36 goals in 31 Bayern games)
Our betting view
England to win the group at fair odds. Kane Golden Boot at 7/1 (8.00) is fair — depends on England reaching the semi-final at minimum. Croatia QF reach is fair value but lay any SF runs at the current pricing.
How qualification works
Twelve groups, four teams each, top two advance plus the eight best third-place finishers fill out the new Round of 32. That third-place lifeline matters more than people realise — even teams that lose their opener can still progress with a single draw and a win.
Where to bet on Group L
Group-stage markets are where sportsbooks differentiate hardest. Books with the deepest group-winner, qualification, exact-finishing-positions and head-to-head markets win the group-stage audit. See our ranked sportsbook line-up for WC 2026.
Related content
- World Cup 2026 hub — full tournament overview
- World Cup 2026 outright predictions — winner, Golden Boot, dark horses
- Best betting sites for WC 2026
- Free bets for the World Cup 2026
18+ only. Odds quoted are a snapshot and change frequently. Bet responsibly: BeGambleAware.