Group L revives one of the most memorable matchups in recent World Cup history, with England and Croatia meeting again after their 2018 semi-final. Thomas Tuchel’s England arrive as one of the tournament’s outright title favourites, while Zlatko Dalić brings Luka Modrić to what is almost certainly his fifth and final World Cup at the age of 40. Ghana, now under Carlos Queiroz, and Panama round out the group – the latter carrying the experience of their 2018 debut in Russia.
Below are all the details regarding the matchups, squads, and updated projections from the betting markets.
🗓️ Matches, Dates, Times, and Stadiums
All match times have been adjusted to Montreal Time (EDT):
- June 17, 2026, 4:00 PM: England vs. Croatia – Dallas (United States)
- June 17, 2026, 7:00 PM: Ghana vs. Panama – Toronto (Canada)
- June 23, 2026, 4:00 PM: England vs. Ghana – Boston (United States)
- June 23, 2026, 7:00 PM: Panama vs. Croatia – Toronto (Canada)
- June 27, 2026, 5:00 PM: Panama vs. England – New York (United States)
- June 27, 2026, 5:00 PM: Croatia vs. Ghana – Philadelphia (United States)
📋 Official Squad Rosters
As mentioned in our previous coverage, Ghana have not yet officially confirmed their final squad. For England, Croatia, and Panama, the selections are locked in.
🏴 England (26-Player Squad)
The headline story from Tuchel’s selection is a series of high-profile omissions – Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Harry Maguire all left out. The focus falls on captain Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and the attacking options of Ivan Toney and Ollie Watkins.
- Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson, Jordan Pickford, James Trafford.
- Defenders: Dan Burn, Marc Guéhi, Reece James, Ezri Konsa, Tino Livramento, Nico O’Reilly, Jarell Quansah, Djed Spence, John Stones.
- Midfielders: Elliott Anderson, Jude Bellingham, Eberechi Eze, Jordan Henderson, Kobbie Mainoo, Declan Rice, Morgan Rogers.
- Forwards: Anthony Gordon, Harry Kane, Noni Madueke, Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka, Ivan Toney, Ollie Watkins.
🇭🇷 Croatia (26-Player Squad)
Dalić retains the trusted core of his historic generation. Modrić leads at his fifth World Cup alongside a midfield still rich in quality through Mateo Kovačić, Marcelo Brozović, Pašalić and Vlašić. At the back, Joško Gvardiol remains one of the most exciting defenders in world football.
- Goalkeepers: Dominik Livaković, Dominik Kotarski, Ivor Pandur.
- Defenders: Joško Gvardiol, Duje Ćaleta-Car, Josip Šutalo, Josip Stanišić, Marin Pongračić, Martin Erlić, Luka Vušković.
- Midfielders: Luka Modrić, Mateo Kovačić, Mario Pašalić, Nikola Vlašić, Luka Sučić, Martin Baturina, Kristijan Jakić, Petar Sučić, Nikola Moro, Toni Fruk.
- Forwards: Ivan Perišić, Andrej Kramarić, Ante Budimir, Marco Pašalić, Petar Musa, Igor Matanović.
🇬🇭 Ghana (28-Player Preliminary Squad)
The major blow for Ghana is the confirmed absence of Mohammed Kudus, who failed to recover from injury in time. The squad now leans on Iñaki Williams, Thomas Partey and Jordan Ayew to carry the attacking and midfield responsibilities.
- Goalkeepers: Lawrence Ati-Zigi, Benjamin Asare, Solomon Agbasi, Joseph Anang, Paul Reverson.
- Defenders: Jonas Adjetey, Abdul Rahman Baba, Alexander Djiku, Gideon Mensah, Abdul Mumin, Jerome Opoku, Kojo Peprah Oppong, Alidu Seidu, Marvin Senaya.
- Midfielders: Augustine Boakye, Abdul Fatawu, Elisha Owusu, Thomas Partey, Kwasi Sibo, Kamaldeen Sulemana, Caleb Yirenkyi.
- Forwards: Jordan Ayew, Christopher Bonsu Baah, Prince Kwabena Adu, Ernest Nuamah, Antoine Semenyo, Brandon Thomas-Asante, Iñaki Williams.
🇵🇦 Panama (26-Player Squad)
Thomas Christiansen names a squad with 2018 World Cup experience at its core. Creative midfielder Adalberto Carrasquilla is the team’s primary playmaker, and the challenge is steep – but the familiarity of the biggest stage may prove an unexpected asset.
- Goalkeepers: Orlando Mosquera, Luis Mejía, César Samudio.
- Defenders: César Blackman, Jorge Gutiérrez, Amir Murillo, Fidel Escobar, Andrés Andrade, Edgardo Fariña, José Córdoba, Eric Davis, Jiovany Ramos, Roderick Miller.
- Midfielders: Aníbal Godoy, Adalberto Carrasquilla, Carlos Harvey, Cristian Martínez, José Luis Rodríguez, César Yanis, Yoel Bárcenas, Alberto Quintero, Azarías Londoño.
- Forwards: Ismael Díaz, Cecilio Waterman, José Fajardo, Tomás Rodríguez.
💰 Team Odds & Predictions
England are the overwhelming favourites to top the group and are among the primary title contenders. Croatia hold a strong edge for second place, though Ghana carry enough quality to make that race tighter than the odds suggest.
Stage & Title Projections
| Betting Market | England | Croatia | Ghana | Panama |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| To Win Group L | -357 | +350 | +1000 | +5000 |
| To Qualify from Group | -2500 | -125 | +225 | +1000 |
| To Reach Round of 16 | -333 | +150 | +300 | +700 |
| To Reach Quarter-Finals | -125 | +450 | +900 | +2000 |
| To Reach Semi-Finals | +175 | +1100 | +2800 | +6600 |
| To Reach the Final | +300 | +2800 | +10000 | +30000 |
| To Win the World Cup | +600 | +8000 | +40000 | +150000 |
Match Results (Moneyline / 1X2)
- England vs. Croatia: England (-139) | Tie (+270) | Croatia (+375)
- Ghana vs. Panama: Ghana (+100) | Tie (+250) | Panama (+260)
- England vs. Ghana: England (-333) | Tie (+400) | Ghana (+800)
- Panama vs. Croatia: Panama (+525) | Tie (+290) | Croatia (-208)
- Panama vs. England: Panama (+1000) | Tie (+550) | England (-455)
- Croatia vs. Ghana: Croatia (-139) | Tie (+260) | Ghana (+350)
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• Updated on 13/05/2026
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⭐ Individual Player Odds & Awards
England dominate every award market from top to bottom, with Harry Kane the second-largest Golden Boot favourite in the entire tournament. Modrić offers the most sentimental and narratively compelling dark-horse pick from outside the English camp.
Top Goalscorer (Golden Boot)
- Harry Kane (England): +700
- Bukayo Saka (England): +3300
- Ollie Watkins (England): +3300
- Jude Bellingham (England): +4000
- Marcus Rashford (England): +5000
- Antoine Semenyo (Ghana): +10000
- Andrej Kramarić (Croatia): +15000
Best Player (Golden Ball)
- Harry Kane (England): +700
- Declan Rice (England): +2000
- Jude Bellingham (England): +2500
- Bukayo Saka (England): +5000
- Luka Modrić (Croatia): +10000
Top Assist Provider
- Bukayo Saka (England): +2800
- Declan Rice (England): +3300
- Luka Modrić (Croatia): +15000
Other Notable Awards
- Jordan Pickford is one of the tournament’s strongest Golden Glove candidates at +700, with Croatia’s Dominik Livaković the group’s next-best option at +10000.
- Nico O’Reilly is among the overall favourites for Best Young Player at +1000 – one of the shorter prices in the competition. Croatia’s Luka Vušković is the dark-horse option at +10000.
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