Group L of the 2026 FIFA World Cup is taking place from June 17 to 27, 2026.[1] The group consists of England, Croatia, Ghana, and Panama. The top two teams, possibly along with the third-placed team, will advance to the round of 32.[2]
Teams
| Draw position | Team | Pot | Confederation | Method of qualification |
Date of qualification |
Finals appearance |
Last appearance |
Previous best performance |
FIFA Rankings[3][4] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| November 2025[nb 1] | June 2026 | |||||||||
| L1 |  England |
1 | UEFA | UEFA Group K winner | October 14, 2025 | 17th | 2022 | Winner (1966) | 4 | 4 |
| L2 |  Croatia |
2 | UEFA | UEFA Group L winner | November 14, 2025 | 7th | 2022 | Runner-up (2018) | 10 | 11 |
| L3 |  Ghana |
4 | CAF | CAF Group I winner | October 12, 2025 | 5th | 2022 | Quarterfinals (2010) | 72 | 73 |
| L4 |  Panama |
3 | CONCACAF | CONCACAF Group A winner | November 18, 2025 | 2nd | 2018 | Group stage (2018) | 30 | 34 |
Notes
Standings
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Position will qualify for: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | England |
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 4 | Knockout stage |
| 2 | Ghana |
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 4 | |
| 3 | Croatia |
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 3 | Possible knockout stage based on ranking |
| 4 | Panama (E) |
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | −2 | 0 |
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
(E) Eliminated
In the round of 32:[2]
- The winner of Group L will advance to play the third-placed team of Group E, Group H, Group I, Group J, or Group K.
- The runner-up of Group L will advance to play the runner-up of Group K.
- The third-placed team of Group L might advance to play the winner of Group K (if one of the eight best third-placed teams from the group stage).
Matches
All times listed are local.[1]
England vs Croatia
The teams had previously met in eleven previous matches, including a 2–1 semi-final win in 2018 for Croatia to advance to their first final.[6] Their most recent meeting was in the UEFA Euro 2020 group stage, with England winning 1–0.[7]
In the 12th minute, England were awarded a penalty after Luka Modric fouled Noni Madueke with a kick inside the penalty area. Harry Kane took the penalty which was saved down low to his left by Croatian goalkeeper Dominik Livaković. The penalty had to be re-taken as Livaković was judged to have moved off his line before it was kicked, Kane again took the penalty and scored into the right of the net to put England into a 1–0 lead. In the 36th minute Martin Baturina made it 1–1 with a right foot shot to the top left corner of the net from outside the penalty area on the right which England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford got a hand to but couldn't prevent from going into the net. In the 42nd minute, England went back in front when Kane headed to the left of the net after making a run to meet a corner from the right by Declan Rice. With his second goal, Kane equalled Gary Lineker’s goals record for England at the World Cup with 10 goals.[8] Five minutes later it was 2–2 when Petar Musa fired to the net from the left inside the penalty area after a header back to him from Ivan Perišić.[9]
England went back in front, two minutes into the second half when Jude Bellingham received the ball on the right before cutting in and shooting right footed low to the left corner of the net from the right of the penalty area. It was 4–2 in the 85th minute when substitute Marcus Rashford received the ball on the left of the penalty area before cutting in on his right foot and shooting low to the right corner of the net.[10]
| England |
4–2 | Croatia |
|---|---|---|
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[Report 1] |
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England[11]
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Croatia[11]
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Man of the Match: Assistant referees:[11] |
Ghana vs Panama
The two teams had never met before.
In the 95th minute, Caleb Yirenkyi got the winning goal with a close range finish after a low cross by Brandon Thomas-Asante from the left, securing a 1–0 win and becoming the second-youngest player to score for Ghana at a World Cup behind Haminu Draman.[13][14] The 95th minute strike was also Ghana's latest ever goal scored in regulation time at a World Cup.[14]
| Ghana |
1–0 | Panama |
|---|---|---|
|
[Report 2] |
Ghana[15]
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Panama[15]
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|
Man of the Match: Assistant referees:[15] |
England vs Ghana
England had previously faced Ghana only once, a 1–1 friendly draw in 2011.[16]
In a game of few chances, in the 66th minute Jordan Pickford collided with Prince Kwabena Adu outside the penalty area with a free awarded to Pickford.[17]
In the 78th minute Ghana had a potential penalty not awarded, Ezri Konsa dived in to challenge Prince Kwabena Adu in the penalty area, bringing him down without making any contact with the ball.[18][19] Bukayo Saka had a low shot from the right saved by Ghana goalkeeper Benjamin Asare. Nico O'Reilly also headed against the bar from six yards out after a cross from Marcus Rashford from the right with Harry Kane shooting the rebound over the bar, with the match finishing 0–0.
| England |
0–0 | Ghana |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 3] |
England[20]
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Ghana[20]
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Man of the Match: Assistant referees:[20] |
Panama vs Croatia
The two teams have never met before.
Luka Modrić made his 200th appearance for Croatia in his fifth World Cup, becoming the fourth player to reach that number.
In the 54th minute, Ante Budimir scored the only goal of the game for Croatia when he finished at the back post from five yards out after a low cross from Josip Stanišić on the right.[21] With this defeat, Panama were eliminated from the tournament.
| Panama |
0–1 | Croatia |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 4] |
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Panama[22]
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Croatia[22]
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Man of the Match: Assistant referees:[22] |
Panama vs England
The teams have only met once before, when England defeated debutant Panama 6–1 in a group stage match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup.[23]
| Panama |
Match 67 | England |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 5] |
Panama
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England
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Assistant referees: |
Croatia vs Ghana
The two teams have never met before.
| Croatia |
Match 68 | Ghana |
|---|---|---|
| [Report 6] |
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Croatia
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Ghana
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Assistant referees: |
Discipline
The team conduct ("fair play") score will be used as a tiebreaker if the head-to-head and overall records of teams are tied. It will also be used as a tiebreaker for the third-place ranking between groups if the overall records of teams are tied. The score will be calculated based on yellow and red cards received by players and team officials in all group matches as follows:[2]
- yellow card: −1 point;
- indirect red card (second yellow card): −3 points;
- direct red card: −4 points;
- yellow card and direct red card: −5 points;
Only one of the above deductions can be applied to a player or team official in a single match.
| Team | Match 1 | Match 2 | Match 3 | Score | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| England |
1 | –1 | |||||||||||
| Croatia |
1 | –1 | |||||||||||
| Ghana |
1 | 1 | −2 | ||||||||||
| Panama |
2 | 1 | −3 | ||||||||||
References
- ^ a b "FIFA World Cup 26 – Match Schedule" (PDF). FIFA. February 4, 2024. Retrieved February 4, 2024.
- ^ a b c "FIFA World Cup 2026 Regulations" (PDF). FIFA. May 2025. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 23, 2025. Retrieved June 7, 2025.
- ^ "FIFA/Coca-Cola Men's World Ranking (19 November 2025)". FIFA. November 19, 2025. Retrieved November 22, 2025.
- ^ "FIFA/Coca-Cola Men's World Ranking (11 June 2026)". FIFA. June 11, 2026. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
- ^ "Draw Procedures for the FIFA World Cup 2026" (PDF). FIFA. November 25, 2025. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
- ^ "England vs. Croatia Head-to-Head in the World Cups". The Soccer World Cups. Retrieved December 6, 2025.
- ^ "England national football team: record v Croatia". 11v11.com. Retrieved December 6, 2025.
- ^ "Harry Kane equals all-time England World Cup record after first-half double against Croatia". The Independent. June 17, 2026. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
- ^ "England surge to thrilling opening win in World Cup cracker with Croatia". Guardian. June 17, 2026. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
- ^ "England 4 Croatia 2". BBC Sport. June 17, 2026. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
- ^ a b c "Tactical Line-up – Group L – England v. Croatia" (PDF). FIFA. June 17, 2026. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
- ^ a b c d "Michelob Ultra Superior Player of the Match – every winner". FIFA. June 17, 2026. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
- ^ Rindl, Joe (June 17, 2026). "Ghana 1–0 Panama". BBC Sport.
- ^ a b King, Oliver (June 17, 2026). "Ghana 1–0 Panama Stats: Yirenkyi's Last-Gasp Winner Snatches Priceless Group L Win". theanalyst.com. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
- ^ a b c "Tactical Line-up – Group L – Ghana v. Panama" (PDF). FIFA. June 17, 2026. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
- ^ "England national football team: record v Ghana". 11v11.com. Retrieved December 6, 2025.
- ^ "Dismal England serve up World Cup Shocker to highlight old problem". The Independent. June 23, 2026. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
- ^ "England 0 Ghana 0". BBC Sport. June 23, 2026. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
- ^ "'VAR went for a coffee' – should Ghana have had penalty against England?". BBC Sport. June 22, 2026. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
- ^ a b c "Tactical Line-up – Group L – England v. Ghana" (PDF). FIFA. June 23, 2026. Retrieved June 23, 2026.
- ^ "Panama 0 Croatia 1". BBC Sport. June 23, 2026. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
- ^ a b c "Tactical Line-up – Group L – Panama v. Croatia" (PDF). FIFA. June 23, 2026. Retrieved June 23, 2026.
- ^ "Panama national football team: record v England". 11v11.com. Retrieved December 6, 2025.
Reports
- ^
- "England vs Croatia | First Stage | FIFA World Cup 2026". FIFA. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
- "Match Report – Group L – England v. Croatia". FIFA. June 17, 2026. Retrieved June 17, 2026.
- "Post match summary report – Group L – England v. Croatia". FIFA. June 17, 2026. Retrieved June 19, 2026.
- ^
- "Ghana vs Panama | First Stage | FIFA World Cup 2026". FIFA. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
- "Match Report – Group L – Ghana v. Panama". FIFA. June 18, 2026. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
- "Post match summary report – Group L – Ghana v. Panama". FIFA. June 18, 2026. Retrieved June 19, 2026.
- ^
- "England vs Ghana | First Stage | FIFA World Cup 2026". FIFA. Retrieved June 23, 2026.
- "Match Report – Group L – England v. Ghana". FIFA. June 23, 2026. Retrieved June 23, 2026.
- "Post match summary report – Group L – England v. Ghana". FIFA. June 24, 2026. Retrieved June 25, 2026.
- ^
- "Panama vs Croatia | First Stage | FIFA World Cup 2026". FIFA. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
- "Match Report – Group L – Panama v. Croatia". FIFA. June 24, 2026. Retrieved June 24, 2026.
- "Post match summary report – Group L – Panama v. Croatia". FIFA. June 24, 2026. Retrieved June 25, 2026.
- ^ "Panama vs England | First Stage | FIFA World Cup 2026". FIFA. Retrieved June 25, 2026.
- ^ "Croatia vs Ghana | First Stage | FIFA World Cup 2026". FIFA. Retrieved June 25, 2026.