{"id":15498,"date":"2026-06-13T02:07:08","date_gmt":"2026-06-12T20:37:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/?p=15498"},"modified":"2026-06-13T02:07:08","modified_gmt":"2026-06-12T20:37:08","slug":"fifa-world-cup-2026-group-l-preview-england-croatia-panama-and-ghana","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-group-l-preview-england-croatia-panama-and-ghana\/","title":{"rendered":"FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Group L Preview: England, Croatia, Panama, and Ghana"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">England arrive at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/one-trophy-48-teams-billion-dreams-welcome-fifa-world-cup-2026\/\">FIFA<\/a> World Cup 2026\u2122 as Group L&#8217;s strongest side on paper. UEFA Euro 2024 runners-up, a squad loaded with Premier League quality, a generation of players who have finally learned how to win in big tournaments. On paper, this is England&#8217;s group to lead.<\/span><\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_73 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-black ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Page Contents:<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #282fff;color:#282fff\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #282fff;color:#282fff\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-group-l-preview-england-croatia-panama-and-ghana\/#England_the_talent_is_there_The_question_is_always_the_same\" title=\"England: the talent is there. The question is always the same.\">England: the talent is there. The question is always the same.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-group-l-preview-england-croatia-panama-and-ghana\/#Croatia_never_count_them_out\" title=\"Croatia: never count them out\">Croatia: never count them out<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-group-l-preview-england-croatia-panama-and-ghana\/#Panama_the_CONCACAF_qualifier_who_refuses_to_be_a_tourist\" title=\"Panama: the CONCACAF qualifier who refuses to be a tourist\">Panama: the CONCACAF qualifier who refuses to be a tourist<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-group-l-preview-england-croatia-panama-and-ghana\/#Ghana_the_Black_Stars_looking_for_a_spark\" title=\"Ghana: the Black Stars looking for a spark\">Ghana: the Black Stars looking for a spark<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-group-l-preview-england-croatia-panama-and-ghana\/#FIFA_World_Cup_2026%E2%84%A2_Group_L_fixtures_all_times_IST\" title=\"FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Group L fixtures (all times IST)\">FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Group L fixtures (all times IST)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-group-l-preview-england-croatia-panama-and-ghana\/#The_verdict\" title=\"The verdict\">The verdict<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Then there is Croatia. At every World Cup for the past decade, people have underestimated them. At the 2018 World Cup, they reached the final. At the 2022 World Cup, they finished third. Croatia do not care about paper. They show up, they compete, and somehow they always find a result when it matters most.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Panama and Ghana fight for third \u2014 and in this expanded\u00a0 FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122, third place still carries real value. Eight of the twelve third-place finishers go through to the round of 32. For both sides, finishing ahead could be the difference between the round of 32 and a flight home.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Watch England, Croatia, Panama, and Ghana live on ZEE5 \u2014 the official home of the FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 in India. Explore the latest ZEE5 subscription plans and catch every Group L match live.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"England_the_talent_is_there_The_question_is_always_the_same\"><\/span><b>England: the talent is there. The question is always the same.<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">England reached the UEFA Euro 2024 final and lost to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/spain-held-by-iraq-fifa-world-cup-2026-warm-up\/\">Spain<\/a>. The squad that came back from that final has not forgotten the feeling.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jude Bellingham is the engine \u2014 creative, physical, capable of arriving late in the box to score goals that do not look possible. Bukayo Saka provides width and constant danger on the right. Phil Foden brings moments of imagination that unlock the tightest defences. Cole Palmer is perhaps the most in-form of all of them. England have enough in this squad to go very deep in the 2026 World Cup. Group L should be managed comfortably. Croatia on June 18 is the first proper test \u2014 and the match that sets the tone for everything that follows.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Croatia_never_count_them_out\"><\/span><b>Croatia: never count them out<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Luka Modric is 40. He is playing in his fifth and final World Cup. Croatia&#8217;s golden generation is ageing. None of that means they will be easy opponents.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Croatia&#8217;s success over the past two decades has never been built on youth or physicality. It has been built on football intelligence \u2014 the ability to control a match through positioning, patience, and the kind of midfield quality that most nations do not develop once in a generation, let alone twice. Mateo Kovacic carries that tradition forward. Andrej Kramaric scores goals from midfield. Their opening fixture against England is the match that defines Group L. Win that, and Croatia are in control of their own destiny. Even a draw makes second place very much theirs to pursue. This team has been written off before. It never ends well for those who write them off.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Panama_the_CONCACAF_qualifier_who_refuses_to_be_a_tourist\"><\/span><b>Panama: the CONCACAF qualifier who refuses to be a tourist<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Panama made their World Cup debut at the 2018 tournament in Russia and lost all three matches. They are not the same side. CONCACAF qualification has become progressively harder, and Panama earned their place at the FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 by beating teams who had every reason to stop them.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They are organised and physical, and they will make Ghana&#8217;s life difficult in the battle for third place. Their opening match against Ghana on June 18 at 4:30 AM IST is essentially a mini-final for the third-place slot. Win it, and Panama are ahead on the table with two more matches to play. They will not beat England or Croatia. But three points against Ghana could be worth everything.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ghana_the_Black_Stars_looking_for_a_spark\"><\/span><b>Ghana: the Black Stars looking for a spark<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ghana have one of the great what-if moments in World Cup history. In South Africa 2010, with a quarter-final place at stake against Uruguay, Asamoah Gyan stepped up to take a last-minute penalty that would have made Ghana the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final. He hit the bar. Uruguay survived on penalties.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The current squad is a generation removed from that pain, but the ambition remains. Jordan Ayew is their most experienced attacking player. Ghana are not as strong as England or Croatia, and Panama will push them hard for third. Their June 18 opener against Panama is the match that shapes the rest of their campaign. Lose that, and the path becomes very narrow very quickly.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FIFA_World_Cup_2026%E2%84%A2_Group_L_fixtures_all_times_IST\"><\/span><b>FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Group L fixtures (all times IST)<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Match<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Fixture<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Date (IST)<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Kick-off (IST)<\/b><\/td>\n<td><b>Venue<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">England vs Croatia<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jun 18<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1:30 AM<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AT&amp;T Stadium, Dallas<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ghana vs Panama<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jun 18<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4:30 AM<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BMO Field, Toronto<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">England vs Ghana<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jun 24<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">1:30 AM<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gillette Stadium, Boston<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Panama vs Croatia<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jun 24<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4:30 AM<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BMO Field, Toronto<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Panama vs England<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jun 28<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2:30 AM<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MetLife Stadium, New York\/New Jersey<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">6<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Croatia vs Ghana<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jun 28<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2:30 AM<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_verdict\"><\/span><b>The verdict<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">England should win the group. Their squad is deep enough and experienced enough to handle Croatia, Panama, and Ghana without serious trouble. Second place belongs to Croatia, who carry too much quality and tournament experience to be displaced by Panama or Ghana. The real contest in Group L is at the bottom \u2014 Panama and Ghana are closely matched, and their head-to-head on June 18 is the decisive moment. Whoever wins that match controls their own path to a third-place finish that, in this World Cup, is worth a place in the round of 32.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Watch the\u00a0 FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 live in India on ZEE5. Choose the \u20b9799 quarterly plan or the \u20b91,699 annual plan to stream every Group L match live.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><b><i>Disclaimer:<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Subscription pack prices are subject to change from time to time. Please visit the subscription page for the most up-to-date pricing information.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>England arrive at the FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 as Group L&#8217;s strongest side on paper. UEFA Euro 2024 runners-up, a squad loaded with Premier League quality, a generation of players who have finally learned how to win in big tournaments. On paper, this is England&#8217;s group to lead. Then there is Croatia. At every World [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":15163,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ub_ctt_via":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3019],"tags":[3097],"class_list":["post-15498","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fifa-world-cup-2026","tag-group-l"],"acf":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1132x400.png","author_info":{"display_name":"Anchal","author_link":"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/author\/anchalsingh\/"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Group L Preview: England, Croatia, Panama, and Ghana - ZEE5 Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zee5.com\/global\/blog\/fifa-world-cup-2026-group-l-preview-england-croatia-panama-and-ghana\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 Group L Preview: England, Croatia, Panama, and Ghana - ZEE5 Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"England arrive at the FIFA World Cup 2026\u2122 as Group L&#8217;s strongest side on paper. UEFA Euro 2024 runners-up, a squad loaded with Premier League quality, a generation of players who have finally learned how to win in big tournaments. On paper, this is England&#8217;s group to lead. Then there is Croatia. 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