World Cup 2026 Group L Preview – England, Croatia, Panama, Ghana

England vs Croatia – The Rematch

Eight years on from that brutal 2018 semi-final loss in Moscow, England get another crack at Croatia. Back then, Mario Mandzukic’s extra-time header broke English hearts. Now Tuchel’s side arrive as serious contenders, not the plucky underdogs of 2018.

The head-to-head narrative is massive for punters. England’s rebuild has been wholesale since then – better attacking options, a genuinely world-class midfield now, and a manager who’s won it all at club level. They’re favourites to win the group, and rightfully so.

Croatia, though, shouldn’t be written off. They’ve aged like fine wine since 2018, and their midfield nous is still terrifying. Modric will be gone, sure, but the infrastructure around their play remains solid. They’ll make England work for it on 17 June, no question.

The key market here is the head-to-head odds. England should be short, but check if there’s value in a Croatia draw or win. They’ll have something to prove in this fixture, and pundits often undervalue that psychological element.

Group L Betting Tips

Panama and Ghana are makeweights. Neither team poses a serious threat to the Big Two. This opens up some smart betting angles beyond the outright group winner.

First, back England’s run of matches. They’ve got Croatia on 17 June, Ghana on 23 June, then Panama on 27 June. That’s a winnable sequence, and you can get solid odds on them to win all three. Ghana will be the stickiest game of the three, but England should handle it.

For Croatia’s campaign, the 24 June fixture against Panama is basically a free points opportunity. Croatia beating Panama at odds close to evens is bread and butter stuff. Follow that with their closing game against Ghana on 27 June – another expected win.

The real angle is backing both England and Croatia to finish on maximum or near-maximum points. If that happens, they’re separated by goal difference. England have better attacking resources and should outscore Croatia across the group stage.

Props-wise, watch the England vs Croatia match closely. Expect a tight, tactical game. There’s usually value in backing under 2.5 goals when these two meet – they know each other’s game inside out. The first-half under 1.5 is another line worth exploring.

Panama and Ghana matches offer angle plays too. Back Panama to lose both their games (to England and Croatia), but there’s genuine value in Ghana beating Panama. Check the odds – Ghana are the better side and punters often overestimate Panama’s competitive level at World Cup standard.

Our Call

England top the group, Croatia second. That’s the most likely outcome. Tuchel’s squad is too strong, too well-balanced, and too hungry for the Mandzukic redemption angle to not perform here. Back it with confidence.

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