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The final group of the tournament got off to a lively start. England edged a thrilling six-goal contest with Croatia 4-2, while Ghana left it desperately late to beat Panama 1-0. Both winners sit on three points. Here is how Group L stands and what comes next.
England 4-2 Croatia: Kane Leads the Way
Thomas Tuchel's England, who qualified without conceding a single goal, made a winning start at AT&T Stadium in a genuinely entertaining clash. The game ignited inside eight minutes when Croatia captain Luka Modrić — at 40 and winning his 199th cap — clumsily caught Noni Madueke, and referee Clément Turpin pointed to the spot. Harry Kane's penalty was initially saved by Dominik Livaković, but VAR ruled the keeper had come off his line, and Kane made no mistake with the retake for 1-0.
Croatia hit straight back through a stunning Martin Baturina strike into the top corner, only for Kane to head England back in front from a well-worked corner. The visitors levelled again before the break, PSV's Ivan Perišić providing a superb header for Petar Musa to finish. The match stayed wide open after the interval: Jude Bellingham raced through to restore England's lead barely 85 seconds into the second half, and substitute Marcus Rashford wrapped it up at 4-2 after fellow substitute Bukayo Saka teed him up. Relive it on our England vs Croatia page.
Ghana 1-0 Panama: A Stoppage-Time Winner
On a rainy night at BMO Field in Toronto, Ghana left it until the very end to break down a stubborn Panama. The debutants-in-spirit Panamanians actually had the better of an energetic but scrappy contest, threatening early through Cecilio Waterman and pushing hard after half-time despite Ghana battling on without their injured goalkeeper.
For long spells a draw — which would have been Panama's first-ever World Cup point — looked likely. But in the 95th minute Ghana countered, and Brandon Thomas-Asante set up 20-year-old Caleb Yirenkyi to tuck away the winner. Panama almost levelled in the dying seconds when goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera went up for a header, but Ghana held on for a dramatic 1-0 win. See the full result on our Ghana vs Panama page.
How Group L Looks After Matchday 1
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | England | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 3 |
| 2 | Ghana | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 3 |
| 3 | Panama | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 |
| 4 | Croatia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 0 |
England and Ghana both made winning starts, with the Three Lions edging top spot on goal difference. Croatia, surprisingly, sit bottom despite scoring twice, while Panama can take real encouragement from their display even in defeat. With the best third-placed teams also advancing, nothing is settled yet.
What's Next in Group L
The two early winners go head-to-head in the standout fixture of the next round: England vs Ghana could go a long way to deciding top spot. Croatia, meanwhile, badly need a result against Panama in Panama vs Croatia — a near must-win for Zlatko Dalić's side after their opening defeat. With the table finely balanced, the second round could change everything.
Be There for the Drama
Six goals, a late winner and plenty still to play for — Group L is up and running. Browse every available fixture on our World Cup 2026 tickets page and secure your seat before the biggest games sell out.
