Group L, which includes England, Croatia, Panama and Ghana, will be one of the toughest groups in the opening round. world cup.
super large Tournament game with 48 teams The possibility of a “group of death” where multiple top-level teams are in the same group has been virtually eliminated.
However, there are two strong teams in Group L, which includes England, who have been runners-up in the European Championship for two consecutive years, and Croatia, who advanced to the 2018 World Cup finals and the 2022 semifinals.
In addition, the Panama team, which is ranked 33rd by FIFA and Ghana, features top European-based players such as Antoine Semenyo, Inaki Williams and Thomas Partey.
england
It is 60 years since England won their only major international trophy in 1966, when they won the World Cup on home soil.
Since the 1990s, England fans have ironically been singing ‘It’s Coming Home’, a song that pokes fun at the nation’s decades-long wait to lift another trophy and its ultimate disappointment.
However, England have continued to progress in major tournaments over the past eight years, reaching the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup and back-to-back finals at the European Championships in 2021 and 2024.
That was under former manager Gareth Southgate, who resigned after losing to Spain in the Euro 2024 final and was replaced by a German manager. Thomas Tuchel.
Tuchel led England to the following: qualification They entered the World Cup with a perfect victory and no goals conceded. Even so, the performance Not necessarily persuasive And it is questionable whether the England team has improved or regressed since the Euros.
Croatia
Croatia is used to contributing at World Cups.
They finished third in the World Cup, which was held for the first time in 1998 after independence from Yugoslavia.
Twenty years later, they reached the final of the 2018 World Cup, but lost to France. Four years ago in Qatar, Croatia advanced to the semi-finals, losing to Brazil along the way.
National icon Luka Modric is still Croatia’s main player, even at the age of 40. The former Real Madrid midfielder won the Champions League six times during his trophy-laden spell in Spain. He won the Ballon d’Or, which is given to the world’s best footballer, after Croatia reached the World Cup finals in 2018.
Luka Modric of Croatia scores his team’s second goal from the penalty spot during the 2026 World Cup Group L qualifying soccer match between Croatia and the Czech Republic at Opus Arena in Osijek, Croatia, Monday, June 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Darko Bandic, File)
Croatia calls up fewer star players from Europe’s top teams these days, but MLS players Petar Moussa and Marko Pašić are likely well known to American fans.
Manchester City midfielder Mateo Kovacic missed most of the season due to injury but is expected to be fit for the World Cup.
ghana
Man City forward Semenyo is a standout player for Ghana and heads to the World Cup after an excellent season in the Premier League.
His performances at Bournemouth have previously sparked interest from England’s top clubs. Joins City for $87 million In January.
Ghana have appeared in five of the past six World Cups, with their best performance coming in 2010 when they reached the quarter-finals.
Japan’s Ritsu Doan (left) and Ghana’s Antoine Semenyo (center) control the ball during the international friendly soccer match between Japan and Ghana held in Toyota City, Chubu region, on Friday, November 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Hoshiko Eugene, File)
The defeat is considered one of the biggest misjudgments in the history of the tournament, after Uruguay’s Luis Suarez used his hands to deflect a header from Dominic Adiya off target in the final moments of extra time. Suarez was sent off and Ghana were awarded a penalty, but Asamoah Gyan was unable to convert. Uruguay won on penalties.
Ghana have not advanced beyond the group stage since then, and although they qualified for this World Cup, they failed to qualify for the most recent African Cup of Nations.
World Cup preparations are in shambles because of the coach Otto Addo fired in March Following a four-game losing streak. Former Real Madrid manager Carlos Queiroz I was appointed as the person in charge.
Panama
This will be Panama’s second World Cup appearance, having participated in 2018.
They topped their qualifying group and have had impressive results in recent tournaments, reaching the finals of the 2023 Gold Cup and 2025 CONCACAF Nations League.
FILE – Panama coach Thomas Christiansen instructs his players during a friendly soccer match against Paraguay ahead of the 2024 Copa America at Rommel Fernández Stadium in Panama City on Sunday, June 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Matthias Delacroix, File)
Former Leeds United manager Thomas Christiansen took charge in 2020 and oversaw Panama’s rise, leading them to the World Cup.
England and Croatia are favorites to advance, while Panama are strong contenders for third place and could potentially reach the round of 32.
___
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
