Group L teams: The lineup
Following the usual World Cup group stage format, Group L consists of 4 teams that will face off in a round-robin of 3 games each. The table below shows the details of the World Cup Group L teams.
| Team | Confederation | Appearance | Current FIFA Ranking |
| England | UEFA | 17th | 4th |
| Croatia | UEFA | 7th | 11th |
| Ghana | CAF | 5th | 74th |
| Panama | CONCACAF | 2nd | 33rd |
Latest Group L World Cup odds
All the top bookmakers have officially opened up the market for the upcoming tournament, including Group L games. This includes outright markets on who will win the group stage and which team will qualify for the round of 32 knockout stage, just like the World Cup Group K odds. The table below shows the latest odds (from BetMGM) available.
| Team | Group winner | To qualify |
| England | 1/3 (75%) | 1/100 (99.01%) |
| Croatia | 7/2 (22.22%) | 1/5 (83.33%) |
| Ghana | 10/1 (9.09%) | 1/2 (66.67%) |
| Panama | 50/1 (1.96) | 7/4 (36.36%) |
Group L winner odds & team analysis
With the available bookmakers’ odds, there are clear predictions on the expectations for the Group L winner and which teams will qualify for the next stage.
Unlike what World Cup Group A odds show, there’s a huge favorite in the group, and it is England. In fact, they are one of the odds-on frontrunners to win the entire tournament. This year, they are looking to end a 60-year World Cup drought since their first-ever title in 1966. And we have to say, they have a pretty good chance.
With Thomas Tuchel at the helm, the squad is filled with an impressive array of top-class players. There’s Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, and Jordan Pickford at the goal, to mention but a few. It was no surprise to see England dominate its qualifiers, securing eight wins in eight games without conceding a single goal.
Although they will have to fight for it, England is one of the favorites to top Group L at the World Cup.
Croatia comes in second as the most bookmaker odds and predictions for Group L. However, they are still a major contender for first place. This is because Croatia has one of the most resilient teams in international football. They surprised everyone by finishing third in their World Cup debut in 1998.
20 years after that, they not only dominated their 2018 World Cup group (which included Argentina) but they also reached the finals and placed second. They delivered another surprising final in the previous tournament where they made it to the finals and finished third.
This fierce team is bringing their resilient spirit back to the World Cup tournament, and they might just surprise us once again. After all, they too breezed through their qualifying campaign, snagging 22 points from 24.
Ghana comes in third on the bookmaker odds for the group L games. However, unlike the World Cup Group H odds, the gap between this team and Croatia is not so wide. There is an expectation that Ghana will undoubtedly finish second.
The team will be making their fifth World Cup appearance this tournament. Back in 2010, they managed to make it to the quarter-finals before getting beaten by Luis Suarez’s controversial handball. This time around, Ghana will bring a strong lineup, featuring Thomas Partey, Inaki Williams, Mohammed Kudus, and Antoine Semenyo. They are arguably more dangerous than ever and may just upset all early World Cup group L predictions.
All the top World Cup betting sites put Panama at the bottom of the table. The low rating is not surprising, as this will be the country’s second-ever appearance in the tournament. In fact, during their debut tournament, they not only lost all three group games but also conceded 6-1 to England.
While they have a higher place (33rd) than Ghana (74th) in the FIFA rankings, they will undoubtedly find this group another tough nut to crack.
Schedule for the upcoming games in World Cup Group L
Below are the World Cup Group L fixtures for the upcoming games.
| Date & Time | Matchup | Venue |
| June 17, 2026 (3:00 p.m. UTC-5) | England vs. Croatia | AT&T Stadium, Arlington |
| June 17, 2026 (7:00 p.m. UTC-4) | Ghana vs. Panama | BMO Field, Toronto |
| June 23, 2026 (4:00 p.m. UTC-4) | England vs. Ghana | Gillette Stadium, Foxborough |
| June 23, 2026 (7:00 p.m. UTC-4) | Panama vs. Croatia | BMO Field, Toronto |
| June 27, 2026 (5:00 p.m. UTC-4) | Panama vs. England | MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford |
| June 27, 2026 (5:00 p.m. UTC-4) | Croatia vs. Ghana | Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia |
World Cup Group L pros and cons
Group L fixtures will definitely be unique, so please keep this in mind.
- England holds great promise
- It is a competitive group, so fans can expect lots of action
- Plenty of betting markets available
- Panama performance may end up being underwhelming
Our final words on the Group L teams
Group L has a good mix of obvious heavyweights and underdogs, unlike the FIFA World Cup Group A, which is relatively more competitive. All the latest World Cup Group L odds have England as the clear frontrunner, followed by Croatia, Ghana, and Panama at the bottom. However, Croatia will no doubt make a play for the top, and Ghana will also contend for second place.
That said, you must remember that sports betting is inherently unpredictable, as unexpected upsets often happen. So, no matter how confident you are about Group L’s prediction, make sure you prioritize responsible gambling when betting. You can use the banners around this page to find sportsbooks offering Group L bets today.
Our favorite sportsbook bonuses
World Cup Group L odds FAQs
🏆 Who is the favorite to win Group L?
England is generally considered the favorite to win the group, featuring 1/3 short odds.
⚡ Which team in Group L could spring a surprise?
Croatia could very well upset expectations and beat England to the top. Similarly, Ghana will contest Croatia for second place and may just surprise us.
❌ Which team has the least chance of making it out of the group stage?
Panama is ranked last in all early odds and predictions for Group L qualifiers.