Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, we go through every group in the expanded 48-country field and examine the teams, highlight the most recent odds, and make predictions.
England will look to make an early statement against Croatia, its main rival in Group L, with the European teams set for an opening-game clash. While England is expected to dominate the group, Croatia faces competition from Ghana. Panama isn’t just making up the numbers, but a knockout stage berth would be a near-miracle.
England’s long, long, long wait for another World Cup title – now 60 years – continues ahead of the 2026 tournament, but Thomas Tuchel’s side’s odds trail those of only Spain and France at the best World Cup betting sites. It’s for good reason. Back-to-back Euros finals for England and consistency that few other national sides can match. The team was one of only two countries to win every qualifying game, displaying much more attacking flair while still conceding zero goals.
A draw with Uruguay and a 1-0 loss to Japan in friendlies have zapped some of the excitement around England. Tuchel also made waves with his final squad, leaving out talents like Cole Palmer in favor of a more team-oriented squad. Still, England boasts something few teams have: a true game-changing center forward in Harry Kane, who put together a Ballon d’Or-caliber season. England’s starting XI is strong, and it should easily see them to a group win. But do they have the depth of attacking options against top teams when Plan A fails?
| To Win Group | To Qualify For RO32 | To Win World Cup |
| -350 | -10000 | +650 |
25+ sports markets. Generous welcome bonus. Frequent odds-boosts. T&Cs and 21+ apply
Soccer fans around the world have learned not to overlook Croatia anymore. The small nation has exceeded all possible expectations in recent World Cups, making the final in 2018 and the semis in 2022. Croatia waltzed through the qualification stage, going undefeated in eight games, to set itself for another unlikely run. However, an exit in the group stage of Euro 2024 signaled that a period of transition could be coming for Croatia.
It will be a World Cup of farewells to a generation of aging star players, and Luka Modric is one of the most prominent names after a legendary career. Even at 40 years old, Modric is still pulling all the strings for Croatia. He isn’t the only older player the team will rely on, with 37-year-old Ivan Perisic and 34-year-old Andrej Kramaric in prominent roles. Croatia does have some exciting young players, especially in defense, with Josko Gvardiol and Luka Vuskovic. The sweltering heat could be a factor for Croatia’s veteran squad, but they should make quick work of the group stage.
| To Win Group | To Qualify For RO32 | To Win World Cup |
| +350 | -500 | +6600 |
Ghana has once again made it to the World Cup, but the team is far from the heights it reached in years past. They missed the AFCON and fired manager Otto Addo at the end of March after a 5-1 loss to Austria and a 2-1 defeat to Germany. Carlos Queiroz stepped in and will have to use all of his experience from leading teams into 4 previous World Cups to give Ghana a chance at success in Group L.
Ghana did sail through its qualification group with 8 wins in 10 games. The team also boasts a top talent in Man City’s Antoine Semenyo, who is a challenge for any full-back in the world. Mohammed Kudus, Abdul Fatawu, and Jordan Ayew are known names to English football fans. But unless Queiroz can get Ghana’s defending back on track, it might be a short tournament.
| To Win Group | To Qualify For RO32 | To Win World Cup |
| +1000 | -200 | +2500 |
Panama is the final team in Group L and will be playing in just its second World Cup after making its debut in 2018. An undefeated qualification campaign was impressive, though the lack of Canada, the US, and Mexico obviously helped a lot. Panama also knows how to pull off a shock, after advancing from its Copa América group and sending the US out.
Manager Thomas Christiansen has led the team since 2020, giving the squad cohesion and a consistent tactical philosophy. Panama is versatile, able to sit back and counter against stronger teams or focus on possession against inferior opponents. The team does lack individual talents who can win games alone, and almost none of their players play in Europe. If Panama can avoid losing all three games, that should be considered a success.
| To Win Group | To Qualify For RO32 | To Win World Cup |
| +5000 | +175 | +10000 |
There are legitimate questions about how England will perform in the latter stages of the tournament, but they should be far too much for anyone else in this group. Three comfortable wins are our prediction, with Croatia’s aging lineup not even able to compete. England might even get a chance to rest some starters against Panama to end the group stage.
No one will be surprised to see Croatia join England as one of the two teams to automatically qualify for the next round. They might not be capable of a deep run anymore, but Croatia has too much quality to fall behind the likes of Ghana and Panama. We see Ghana’s poor form continuing despite the change in manager, opening the door for Panama to secure a shock third-place qualification position.
Wagering Needed (WR): 1x Deposit. T&Cs and 21+ apply
Odds are courtesy of BetMGM and accurate at the time of writing.
Loading …
