The 2026 World Cup group stage is divided into 12 groups of four teams. Group L features England, Panama, Ghana and Croatia, according to ESPN.
England, nicknamed the Three Lions, enter Group L ranked fourth by FIFA. The nation makes its 17th appearance at the tournament (1950–2026) and its eighth straight since 1998. England’s best finish remains champions in 1966; overall World Cup record stands at 35 wins, 23 draws and 20 losses. Harry Kane is England’s all-time World Cup top scorer with 13 goals, while Gary Lineker (1986) and Kane (2018) share the England single-tournament mark with six. Tom Finney is the oldest England scorer (36 years, 64 days in 1958) and Michael Owen the youngest (18 years, 190 days in 1998). Geoff Hurst was the first player to score a World Cup Final hat-trick in 1966; Kylian Mbappé matched the feat in 2022, according to ESPN.
Croatia, known as the Vatreni or Kockasti, are 11th in the FIFA rankings and making their seventh World Cup appearance (1998–2026). They have reached the tournament in four straight editions (2014–2026) and their best finish is runner-up in 2018. Croatia’s overall World Cup record is 15-8-10. Ivan Perisic and Davor Šuker share the team lead with six World Cup goals; Šuker also owns Croatia’s single-tournament mark with six in 1998. Ante Budimir became Croatia’s oldest World Cup scorer at 34 years, 336 days in 2026 vs. Panama; Josko Gvardiol is the youngest at 20 years, 328 days in 2022 vs. Morocco. Croatia had not lost a group-stage match in their previous two World Cups, the only team from the last two tournaments to do so, according to ESPN.
Ghana, the Black Stars, sit 73rd in the FIFA rankings and are making a fifth World Cup appearance (2006–2026), with consecutive showings in 2022 and 2026. Their best finish is the 2010 quarterfinals; overall record is 6-4-8. Asamoah Gyan is Ghana’s top World Cup scorer with six goals and led Ghana with three in 2010. Andre Ayew is Ghana’s oldest World Cup scorer (32 years, 342 days in 2022) and Haminu Draman the youngest (20 years, 82 days in 2006). Ghana’s 2010 quarterfinal exit came after Gyan missed a stoppage-time penalty in extra time following Luis Suárez’s red card for a handball; Ghana lost the subsequent shootout, according to ESPN.
Panama, nicknamed Los Canaleros or La Marea Roja, are 34th in the FIFA rankings and making their second World Cup appearance (2018, 2026). Their best result remains the group stage, and their tournament record is 0-0-6. Felipe Baloy is Panama’s only World Cup scorer with one goal; he is both the country’s oldest and youngest World Cup scorer at 37 years, 120 days (2018 vs. England). At that age Baloy is the second-oldest CONCACAF men’s World Cup scorer behind Mexico’s Cuauhtémoc Blanco (37 years, 151 days), according to ESPN.
