2026 World Cup: Group L preview, odds & predictions

Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, Ladbrokes shares its in-depth Group L preview, with a look at each nation, the full schedule, and the bookies' favourites.

Thomas Tuchel's England lead the betting for Group L, entering the tournament as firm favourites to reach the round of 32, but Croatia, Ghana, and Panama will make it incredibly difficult for the Three Lions - with everyone's sights set on progressing to the knockout stages.

England

England arrive as one of the front-runners to lift a first World Cup trophy since 1966, with a host of huge names including Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and Bukayo Saka in their ranks, and the Three Lions are firm favourites to qualify from their group as winners for the second tournament in succession.

Manager Thomas Tuchel is taking charge of his first major tournament as England boss, and has some big shoes to fill after Gareth Southgate led the nation to the latter stages in both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups - but with such vast experience, the German will likely rise up to the challenge and deliver another memorable summer.

Confidence is high after reaching back-to-back European Championship finals, and with Harry Kane eyeing up another Golden Boot, England and their incredibly talented squad will be ready to go all the way in the States this summer.

Croatia

Recent World Cup visits have been pretty successful for Croatia, with a third-place finish in 2022 following their appearance in the 2018 World Cup final, where they were forced to settle for runners-up medals after being beaten by France.

This summer, they arrive in good shape once again, with familiar names including Luka Modric, Ivan Perisic, and Josko Gvardiol looking to guide their nation on another unforgettable journey - and with Zlatko Dalic still at the helm, the Croats have invaluable experience throughout their ranks which could see them cause a few upsets along the way to another impressive finish.

Croatia's opening group-stage match against favourites England could set the tone for their entire tournament, but with memories of that semi-final victory back in 2018 spurring them on, there's every chance that matchday 1 could be the catalyst for an excellent campaign.

Ghana

One of 10 African nations to be competing at the 2026 World Cup this summer, Ghana help make Group L one of the toughest at the tournament, with a handful of high-profile names sprinkled throughout their squad.

Manchester City's Antoine Semenyo is the standout, but Tottenham's Mohammed Kudus (if fit) will also cause opponents serious problems in the final third - alongside the likes of Abdul Fatawu, Jordan Ayew, and Brandon Thomas-Asante. The midfield is anchored by former Arsenal man Thomas Partey, and with experienced manager Carlos Queiroz in the hotseat, the Ghanaians certainly aren't arriving to just make up the numbers.

Taking part in just their fifth World Cup, Ghana will be hoping to escape the groups for the first time since 2010, and while they're priced among the underdogs in the 2026 World Cup outright winner odds, the Black Stars will be confident of making their mark this summer.

Panama

The outright underdogs of Group L, Panama are looking forward to just their second World Cup, with their first appearance at the tournament coming back in 2018 - where they also featured in England's group.

They lost all three group games last time out, but arrive in better shape this year having beaten the likes of South Africa, Jamaica, and hosts USA across the last 18 months - so their first-ever win at a World Cup will be the aim as they prepare to take on a difficult group.

Spaniard Thomas Christiansen is the man tasked with guiding Panama this summer, with the former Leeds United and Union Saint-Gilloise manager looking to make history in June - helped by the likes of FC Juarez's Jose Luis Rodriguez, LASK's Andres Andrade, and Norwich City's Jose Cordoba.

It's England who Ladbrokes fancy as the clear favourites to win Group L this summer, with Thomas Tuchel's team odds-on to comfortably navigate a group that certainly does have the potential to throw up some surprises.

Croatia come next according to the bookies, with successful tournaments in recent years giving the Croats a real reputation for putting in performances on the global stage. Ghana are next in line at 9/1, and will more than fancy their chances of progressing to the round of 32 - especially with this year's World Cup having an enlarged format.

Panama come into the group stages as Group L's outright underdogs, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see them claim their first-ever victory at a World Cup if they can replicate some of the performances they've shown over the last 18 months.

Ladbrokes' 2026 World Cup betting guide provides all the tips you need to place calculated, well-informed wagers on Group L.

• England vs Croatia (Wednesday, 17 June - 21:00 BST)

• Ghana vs Panama (Thursday, 18 June - 00:00 BST)

• England vs Ghana (Tuesday, 23 June - 21:00 BST)

• Panama vs Croatia (Wednesday, 24 June - 00:00 BST)

• Croatia vs Ghana (Saturday, 27 June - 22:00 BST)

• Panama vs England (Saturday, 27 June - 22:00 BST)

You can also find the full 2026 World Cup fixture schedule here.

Predicted standings:

• 1) England

• 2) Croatia

• 3) Ghana

• 4) Panama

Ladbrokes is predicting that England will win Group L and reach the World Cup knockout stages for a third consecutive tournament, with the prolific, in-form Harry Kane leading the Three Lions' charge.

Croatia's experience and sprinkling of world-class talent should see them over the line into second place, while Ghana's main men will have the necessary quality to help the Black Stars finish above Panama.

Thomas Christiansen's underdogs will give a good account of themselves in Group L, but will ultimately fall short at the first hurdle against three established, superior opponents.

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All odds and market details are accurate as of the time of publication.

View the latest World Cup 2026 odds.