About Group L
Group L brings together England and Croatia — two teams with a memorable 2018 semi-final clash in their recent history — alongside Ghana and Panama. England are among the pre-tournament favourites and will target topping the group, but Croatia and Ghana will be formidable opponents.
Teams in Group L
🏴England(UEFA)
1966 World Cup champions, England are considered tournament favourites after reaching the semi-finals in 2018 and the quarter-finals in 2022. The Three Lions boast remarkable Premier League depth and are carrying the expectation of a nation that has waited 60 years for another World Cup title.
🇭🇷Croatia(UEFA)
Runners-up in 2018 and third place in 2022, Croatia have been the World Cup's great overachievers in the modern era. The Vatreni are transitioning to a new generation, but still possess the technical quality and tournament experience to cause problems for any opponent.
🇬🇭Ghana(CAF)
Ghana came within a penalty of the World Cup semi-finals in 2010 and are one of Africa's most exciting football nations. The Black Stars have rebuilt their squad with talent from European leagues and will be aiming to recapture the brilliance of their iconic 2010 tournament run.
🇵🇦Panama(CONCACAF)
Panama have established themselves as a consistent CONCACAF qualifier, appearing at the 2018 World Cup and qualifying again for 2026. Los Canaleros are a disciplined, physically robust side that makes life difficult for every opponent and never stops fighting for the full 90 minutes.
Group L Match Schedule
Matchday 1 · Wednesday, June 17, 2026
🏴 England vs 🇭🇷 Croatia
AT&T Stadium, Arlington
Matchday 1 · Wednesday, June 17, 2026
🇬🇭 Ghana vs 🇵🇦 Panama
BMO Field, Toronto
Matchday 2 · Tuesday, June 23, 2026
🇵🇦 Panama vs 🇭🇷 Croatia
BMO Field, Toronto
Matchday 2 · Tuesday, June 23, 2026
🏴 England vs 🇬🇭 Ghana
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough
Matchday 3 · Saturday, June 27, 2026
🇵🇦 Panama vs 🏴 England
MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford
Matchday 3 · Saturday, June 27, 2026
🇭🇷 Croatia vs 🇬🇭 Ghana
Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia
How Group L Qualification Works
The top two teams from Group L advance directly to the Round of 32 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 knockout stage. The third-place team is not automatically eliminated — the 8 best third-place finishers from all 12 groups also advance, ranked by points, goal difference, and goals scored. The fourth-place team is eliminated from the tournament.
In the event of a tie on points, FIFA applies the following tiebreakers in order: goal difference, goals scored, head-to-head points, head-to-head goal difference, and head-to-head goals scored. This simulator applies all official FIFA tiebreaker rules automatically as you enter match scores.