2026 World Cup Group L: Final Standings, Results and Recap
England won Group L at the 2026 FIFA World Cup without a loss and became the group’s headline act in the knockout rounds, reaching the semifinals and finishing third overall. Croatia claimed second place, Ghana squeezed through as one of the best third-place teams and Panama exited without scoring a goal.
Harry Kane also made history in this group, passing Gary Lineker to become England’s all-time leading World Cup scorer. Below is a full recap of the Group L standings, every result and how each team’s tournament ended. For prices on future international competitions, check our World Cup odds page.
2026 World Cup Group L final standings
England and Croatia earned the automatic qualifying places, and Ghana’s four points were good enough to advance as a third-place team.
| Team | W-D-L | Goals for | Goals against | Goal difference | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England | 2-1-0 | 6 | 2 | +4 | 7 |
| Croatia | 2-0-1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 6 |
| Ghana | 1-1-1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Panama | 0-0-3 | 0 | 4 | -4 | 0 |
2026 World Cup Group L results
Group L was played across World Cup stadiums in the United States and Canada, with two matches in Toronto.
| Matchday | Result | Goal scorers | Host city |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | England 4, Croatia 2 | Kane 12′ (pen.), 42′, Bellingham 47′, Rashford 85′ (ENG); Baturina 36′, Musa (CRO) | Arlington, Texas |
| 1 | Ghana 1, Panama 0 | Yirenkyi 90+5′ (GHA) | Toronto |
| 2 | England 0, Ghana 0 | None | Boston |
| 2 | Croatia 1, Panama 0 | Budimir 54′ (CRO) | Toronto |
| 3 | England 2, Panama 0 | Bellingham 62′, Kane 67′ (ENG) | New York/New Jersey |
| 3 | Croatia 2, Ghana 1 | Not available | Philadelphia |
The opener between England and Croatia set the tone. Kane’s first penalty was saved by Dominik Livaković, but the kick was retaken because the goalkeeper had left his line early, and Kane converted. His second goal tied Lineker’s England record of 10 World Cup goals, and his header against Panama on Matchday 3 gave him sole possession of the mark. In the other opener, Caleb Yirenkyi, the second-youngest Ghanaian to score at a World Cup, won it for Ghana in the fifth minute of stoppage time, the latest regulation-time World Cup goal in the country’s history.
Bettors who backed England and Croatia to finish first and second in the group, which was available at -165 at DraftKings before the tournament, cashed their tickets.
How each Group L team fared
Here’s where each team’s tournament ended after the group stage.
England: Group winner, third place overall
England beat DR Congo 2-1 in Atlanta and Mexico 3-2 in Mexico City, then needed extra time to get past Norway 2-1 in the quarterfinals. Argentina ended its title hopes with a 2-1 semifinal win, but England closed the tournament on a high note, outlasting France 6-4 in the third-place match in Miami.
Croatia: Runner-up, out in the Round of 32
Luka Modrić earned his 200th cap for Croatia in Group L, one of only four men to reach that milestone. Croatia recovered from its opening loss with wins over Panama and Ghana, but Portugal knocked it out with a 2-1 win in Toronto.
Ghana: Third place, out in the Round of 32
Ghana held England to a scoreless draw on Matchday 2 and had a strong penalty shout waved off when Prince Kwabena Adu went down under a challenge from Ezri Konsa. The Black Stars’ run ended against Colombia, which won 1-0 on an early Jhon Arias goal despite seven saves from Ghana’s goalkeeper.
Panama: Fourth place, eliminated
Panama defended well enough to keep all three games close, losing by a combined four goals, but failed to score in any of them and finished last.
Group L standout performers
These players left the biggest mark on Group L.
- Harry Kane, England: Scored three group goals and broke England’s all-time World Cup scoring record.
- Jude Bellingham, England: Scored against both Croatia and Panama, then delivered both goals in the quarterfinal win over Norway.
- Caleb Yirenkyi, Ghana: His stoppage-time winner against Panama was the difference in Ghana advancing.
- Ante Budimir, Croatia: Scored the only goal in Croatia’s win over Panama.
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