England have been drawn with Croatia, Ghana and Panama in Group L at the World Cup 2026, giving Thomas Tuchel a clear path to a strong start and, if things go right, the chance to settle the group before the final match.
The draw has sharpened interest in England games because England are favourites to win Group L and are being offered 7/1 by LiveScore Bet to win all three of their group games by two or more goals. That is the sort of price that invites attention, especially with Croatia described as England’s toughest opponents on paper and with the possibility that first place could be wrapped up before Panama arrives.
There is a reason that talk has quickly turned from the draw itself to the margin of victory. England have not won all of their group games since 1982, when they were knocked out in the second group stage, even though they topped their group at each of the last two World Cups. LiveScore’s question — could this be the year they repeat the trick — hangs over the market because England have already shown the kind of control that makes a clean sweep believable.
They qualified without conceding a single goal and went on a run of six straight matches, including friendlies, of winning by a two-goal margin or greater between September and November last year. Harry Kane added another layer to the case by scoring a career-best 61 goals in all competitions for Bayern Munich this season, while Bukayo Saka, Marcus Rashford and Morgan Rogers give England further attacking options if Tuchel wants to press the pace early.
If England beat Croatia and then beat Ghana, they could already have confirmed first place before the Panama match, opening the door for Tuchel to rotate his side in the third game. That is where the draw starts to matter beyond the headline: not just who England will face, but how soon the manager can think about preserving legs, managing risk and shaping the knockout stage with a more settled group.
The unanswered piece is not whether England can get through the section. It is whether they can turn a favourable draw into three convincing wins and do it in the kind of style that would send a message before the tournament really begins.
