2026 World Cup Group L Betting Odds

Updated: 08/05/2026 07:31 AM

The 2026 World Cup Group L betting odds are firmly in favour of England, but Croatia’s resilience is not to be taken for granted. Panama and Ghana are the other two nations here, and even though they are considered heavy outsiders, there are never any guarantees in a World Cup. On this page, you will see bookmakers with the best odds for Group L, alongside a few tips and expert analysis from Betpack.

Table of Contents

Teams in Group L – Hard to Look Past England and Croatia

England seems to be on the brink of winning a big competition, so it remains to be seen whether we will finally see the Three Lions bring “football home” in 2026. Croatia are often the underdog at World Cup betting sportsbooks, but this Balkan nation just doesn't seem to give up, even with everything against them. This is a mindset they will likely bring to the WC again, so here is a short overview of what to expect from each team.

🇬🇧 England – Heavy Favourites and Kane’s Golden Chance

England seems to have world-class players at every position. Harry Kane comes to the World Cup on the back of an impressive campaign with Bayern Munich, and England seems to have all the ammunition ready to help him. They are blessed with choice for playmakers and wingers: Bellingham, Rogers, Rice, Saka, Gordon – the list goes on. New head coach Thomas Tuchel has had an impressive start to his England reign, and we are likely to see a big shift from the pragmatic approach Southgate introduced. England look like a team that needs to worry everyone.

🇭🇷 Croatia – Never Say Never Mentality

Croatia’s “Golden Generation” seems to slowly fade away, so manager Zlatko Dalic has a big task on his hands in trying to integrate young stars and transmit the winning mentality. Luka Modric is expected to lead the nation once again, while Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic are other world-class players who will try to help Croatia make another deep run in the competition. Croatia has notable issues, though. Even though they were impressive in the qualifiers, the lack of striker options is alarming. Veterans Ante Budimir and Andrej Kramaric are the only options, so it looks like Croatia will try to grind out results through set-pieces and possession play.

🇬🇭 Ghana – A Team In Transition

For many, Ghana picked the wrong moment to part ways with Otto Addo, who had an impressive qualifying run with the team. Experienced Spanish coach Carlos Queiroz took over, and his aim will be to provide structural stability. Ghana will probably approach the World Cup in a pragmatic way with a defensive-first philosophy. Don't expect any "easy" wins against Ghana, as Queiroz is known for making his teams hard to beat. Then, the pace of Semenyo and Inaki Williams can really hurt any opposition in counter-attacks.

🇵🇦 Panama – A Clear Underdog in Group L

Panama will be making their second World Cup appearance, with 2018 being their debut campaign. Head coach Thomas Christiansen has been there for a long time now, so Panama works like a well-drilled machine with a defensive-first approach. That won't change in the World Cup, so expect them to employ a 3-5-2 or a 5-4-1 formation that will frustrate opponents. No one really expects them to pass the group, so the underdog odds are stacked against Panama at every bookie.

WC26 Group L Winner Betting Odds

England are the favourites in every World Cup group stage betting discussion about who will be the winner of group L. Here are a few bookmakers and their odds for who will lead the charge in the knockout stages.

Team	Biggerz	Celsius	BetiBet	Everygame	N1bet
England	1.02	1.03	1.01	1.02	1.02
Croatia	1.15	1.18	1.13	1.15	1.15
Ghana	11.00	13.00	10.00	11.00	12.00
Panama	51.00	67.00	45.00	50.00	51.00

Betpack Expert Tip: An Early Exit for Croatia on the Cards?

Croatia is odds-on to reach the knockout stages, together with England, but we won’t be surprised if that didn’t happen at all. Croatia struggles to replace veterans like Rakitic, Mandzukic, and Perisic. Even though Modric is still capable of leading the team, he can only do so much. The fast-paced forward of Ghana is expected to cause many problems for teams, especially the declining Croatian veterans. If you want a more adventurous bet, here is a bold prediction – Croatia won't make it far, even if they make it to the Round of 32 as a third-placed team.

Mert Feyzioglu

Sports Betting Analyst

Betting on Group L Qualifying Teams

Additional outright odds are available for punters in our suggested bookmakers. You can also bet on teams you think will finish first, second, or be among the top eight third-placed teams, but the odds will shrink compared to the table above.

Team	Biggerz	Celsius	BetiBet	Everygame	N1bet
England	1.02	1.03	1.01	1.02	1.02
Croatia	1.15	1.18	1.13	1.15	1.15
Ghana	2.10	2.20	2.05	2.10	2.15
Panama	4.50	5.00	4.30	4.50	4.80

Other Possible Bets on Group L

Proposition bets are also possible for Group L, and they can come in different shapes: the lowest scoring team, the top goalscorer in the group, or the team that finishes bottom. Here are a few examples for you to think about.

Market	Favorite	Odds (Biggerz)
To Finish Bottom	Panama	1.30
Highest Scoring Team	England	1.40
Top Group Goalscorer	Harry Kane	2.50

World Cup Group L Matches: Dates, Kick-Off Times & Odds

Now that you know all about betting on Group L matches, it is time you familiarise yourself with the dates and venues.

Date	Match	Venue	Odds (1/X/2)
June 17, 2026	England vs. Croatia	AT&T Stadium	1.66/3.80/4.80
June 17, 2026	Ghana vs. Panama	BMO Field	2.00/3.50/3.40
June 23, 2026	England vs. Ghana	Gillette Stadium	1.35/4.70/8.40
June 23, 2026	Panama vs. Croatia	BMO Field	7.60/4.30/1.41
June 27, 2026	Panama vs. England	MetLife Stadium	16.00/9.40/1.10
June 27, 2026	Croatia vs. Ghana	Lincoln Financial Field	1.77/3.60/4.30

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Croatia Have Another Deep Run in The World Cup?

Based on the current crop of players, it is hard to see a scenario where Croatia fights against the big guns in the competition. However, Croatia's never-give-up mentality may again help another charge towards the latter stages.

Will Antoine Semenyo be the Top Goalscorer in Group L?

Semenyo certainly fits the profile of a player who can cause problems and score a lot of goals. Unfortunately for him, the competition he faces is no less than Harry Kane, one of the best goalscorers England has ever produced.

Can England Finally Win The World Cup?

England certainly has all the talent and attitude to be successful in the World Cup. Thomas Tuchel is a world-class coach who will seek to build on the near-finishes by Gareth Southgate. Expect England to have a deep run once again.