England at the World Cup 2026: Group L Preview, Expectations & Betting Predictions

World Cup 2026 is almost here, with the action from the USA, Canada, and Mexico taking fans from June 11 to July 19. Major online bookmakers have Spain as their pre-competition favourites, ahead of fellow European superpowers England and France.

England at the World Cup have won this trophy only once, tasting glory back in 1966. Fans have sung about football coming home ever since. Will that painful wait end this summer? Respected football betting writer Frank Monkhouse analyses England’s chances. 

Having followed the draw for the group stage of ‘We Are 26’, fans know England will compete in Group L. They are expected to progress from the pool with a 100% record, gifting them a Round of 32 match against the third-best team from Group E, H, I, J, or K.

Will Thomas Tuchel’s team do as expected and lead his side to top spot in Group L? In this section of our article on England’s chances, we break down the group and reveal what the draw means for the team’s chances of adding a second World Cup winners’ medal.

The table below shows the teams in World Cup 2026 Group L. With a round-robin format, each team plays the other nations once, making for a three-match campaign. 

The country with the most points at the end of matchday three will progress, joined by the nation finishing second. The best third-place finishers also advance to the knockout rounds.

As you can see, progressing from Group L isn’t a foregone conclusion, but England have a realistic chance of securing top spot and marching into the next round. Croatia appear to be the main danger, meaning a win in their opening match would place England on a clear path to the Round of 32.

Croatia are ranked 11th in the world by FIFA and finished as runners-up in 2018. Panama start at 33rd in the world, and have been no higher than 29th in history. Ghana are down at 72nd in the FIFA charts, suggesting they’ll finish bottom of the group.

In simple terms, the draw means England should have no issues qualifying from Group L. Finishing top would secure them a favourable draw in the next round, but Croatia also have their eye on crossing the line first.

England and Croatia meet on matchday one from Group L, with the AT&T Stadium in Arlington providing the backdrop. The head-to-head stats show these nations have met 11 times previously, with England boasting six wins, against three for Croatia, with two games ending in a draw. The most recent showdown ended in a 1-0 win for England at Euro 2020.

England FC on the World Cup have met Panama only once before, breezing to a memorable 6-1 win in this competition eight years ago. They’ve also played Ghana just once, drawing 1-1 in a friendly match back in 2011.

Major online sports bookmakers offer pre-match and live betting odds on England’s three Group L matches at the World Cup.

You can predict the outcome of each game or look ahead and bet on which nation will finish top of the pool. Those seeking a long-term interest will find joy in the World Cup outright markets, including the winner and top scorer.

As mentioned, England are firm favourites with all major bookmakers to finish atop Group L, and I make that a strong bet. They enjoyed a perfect qualifying campaign, winning every match and keeping a clean sheet. The strength of their Group L opponents doesn’t look much better than what they faced in qualifying Group K.

Croatia are the obvious danger, and have performed well at previous World Cups. England beat Croatia last time and are haven’t lost to The Blazers in three meetings, thanks to 1-0 and 2-1 wins after the rivals shared a goalless draw on Nations League duty in 2018.

The stats suggest England vs Croatia in Arlington will be another tight match, but Tuchel’s side should come out on top. If they do as expected and beat Zlatko Dalic’s men in Arlington, they’ll gain the momentum and confidence to sweep past Ghana in Foxborough on matchday two, and Panama in East Rutherford in the third and final outing.

To get a better idea of what to expect from Tuchel, Harry Kane, and co this summer, we reflect on England’s road to the World Cup. How they played, the results, finishing position, and how their efforts measure up against their Group L rivals.

Qualification Recap

• England finished top of World Cup qualifying Group K.
• They registered eight wins from as many games.
• England scored 22 goals and conceded zero.
• Nearest rivals Albania finished ten points off the pace.
• Norway and England were the only teams with a 100% record.

England beat Albania and Serbia 2-0, Latvia 5-0, Serbia 5-0, Andorra 2-0 and 1-0,  Latvia 3-0, and Albania 2-0 in 2025.

Will England at the World Cup win Group L? We’re confident they’ll deliver. Will they go on to win the World Cup? That depends on their route to the final and on avoiding injuries to key players like Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham. 

England at the World Cup route is to win Group L, beat the third-best team from Group E, H, I, J, K in the Round of 32. Win the Round of 16 in Mexico City, and then the quarters in Miami Gardens. England must then win the semi-final in Atlanta and the final in East Rutherford.

Will England blaze a trail of glory to a second World Cup success and first in 60 years? You can bet now at any bookmaker featured on this page. New customers secure a welcome bonus free bet when registering and gambling on sports.