2026 World Cup Group L Betting Odds and Tips

Q: What teams are in World Cup Group L?

World Cup Group L consists of Croatia, England, Ghana and Panama. England always draw lots of eyes and will do so again under the stewardship of Thomas Tuchel, whilst Panama will surely gain plenty of neutral support as outsiders.

By Oliver Lines

Jun 2nd, 2026 4:47 AM EDT

Fact Checked By Mark Fordham

England fans, look away now. You're playing Croatia again. A rivalry that started in 2007 when Croatia beat England 3-2 at Wembley to ensure the Three Lions failed to qualify for Euro 2008 has come back around in Group L of the 2026 World Cup.

Although these two nations have actually only met six times since that fateful day that cost Steve McLaren his job, one of those came in 2018 when Croatia beat England 2-1 in the World Cup semi-finals before some revenge was exacted by England with a 1-0 win at Euro 2020.

With Ghana and Panama completing the Group K lineup, UK betting sites are expecting Thomas Tuchel's men to top the group. However, as things rarely are with England, it won't be that simple.

Tuchel has a lot to live up to after Sir Gareth Southgate restored hope to England by guiding them to a World Cup semi-final and two Euros finals, but the German started solidly with eight wins from eight games in qualifying (albeit in a group featuring Albania and Serbia as the main opposition).

Croatia's golden era is allegedly over, although 40-year-old Luka Modric seems unaware of that, and they will certainly remain a threat. Their run to the 2018 World Cup final was followed up with a semi-final finish in Qatar, and although they weren't up to much at Euro 2024, football betting sites know how tricky they can be.

The fact Ghana were able to qualify for the World Cup is rather impressive in of itself considering they failed to reach the 2025 African Cup of Nations, but they managed to top a fairly straightforward group with 25 points out of 30.

Finally, Panama fell to an ignominious 6-1 defeat to England when these sides met at the 2018 World Cup and will be hoping to avoid a similar fate this time around. They'll certainly feel equipped to spring an upset at least, having narrowly lost the 2023 Gold Cup final to Mexico and been knocked out on penalties by Honduras in the quarter-finals of the 2025 edition.

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Odds to Win Group L

Though there are always doubts and trepidation from England fans, those don't seem to exist with in-play betting sites, as the Three Lions are clear favourites to win Group L. Here are how the odds stack up:

Odds to Qualify From Group L

With three teams qualifying from eight of the 12 groups, the odds on many teams to simply reach the next round are quite short. Whilst Ghana and Panama are seen as unlikely to win Group L with betting apps, they still have a reasonable shot at qualifying for the last-32:

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Group L Fixtures

As the last group, Group L kick offs a few days after the opening game. Here's a look at all the Group L fixtures in UK time:

17 June, 9pm - England vs Croatia - Dallas Stadium
18 June, 12am - Ghana vs Panama - Toronto Stadium
23 June, 9pm - England vs Ghana - Boston Stadium
24 June, 12am - Panama vs Croatia - Toronto Stadium
27 June, 10pm - Panama vs England - New York/New Jersey Stadium
27 June, 10pm - Croatia vs Ghana - Philadelphia Stadium

Group L Betting Tips

Assuming that England don't make an absolute pig's ear of Group L, they should comfortably qualify for the next round and leave the other three teams scrapping for second and third. Ghana, though, look extremely susceptible, and it may be worth taking a punt on them to finish bottom.

Their failure to qualify for the 2025 African Cup of Nations was alarming, and a pair of friendly defeats to Austria and Germany in March led to the firing of Otto Addo - who had overseen World Cup qualification - and the hiring of Carlos Queiroz. Such volatility isn't ideal for a major tournament, and neither is the fact that Queiroz only has a pair of friendlies to figure out his best team before the World Cup.

Back Ghana to finish bottom of Group L at 12/5 with Spreadex.

Responsible Gambling

With 104 games in total at the World Cup this year, there will be plenty of betting markets available right through the summer. However, it’s important to remember to only bet as much as you can afford and never chase losses. Take advantage of responsible gambling tools such as setting deposit limits and session time limits to ensure you are only betting for enjoyment. All of the betting sites on Bookies.com have these tools and more to help you stay in control.

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World Cup Group L FAQs

Who are the favourites for World Cup Group L?

England are favourites to win Group L after reaching the final of both Euro 2020 and 2024, as well as the World Cup quarter-finals last time out. Croatia are next in the betting, followed by Ghana and finally Panama as rank outsiders.

What teams are in World Cup Group L?

About the Author

Oliver Lines

More About Oliver

Oliver has been involved in sports betting writing since 2017 and has covered all manner of events during that time, including football, NFL, golf, cricket and horse racing. It’s no surprise that he holds an interest in most sports and loves finding underappreciated markets to have a punt on. Oliver also has years of experience on the casino side of things and can spot a poor bonus from a mile away.