The matches in Group L of the 2026 World Cup will be played between June 17 and June 27, 2026. The group features England, Croatia, Ghana and Panama.

The opening match of Group L will take place on June 17, 2026, in Arlington, where England will begin its World Cup campaign against Croatia. A few hours later, Ghana and Panama will face each other in Toronto. The remaining group-stage matches will be played in the United States and Canada.

The top two teams in the group will qualify directly for the knockout stage. In addition, the third-placed team may also advance to the Round of 32 through the ranking of the eight best third-placed teams. As a result, the battle for qualification is expected to remain open until the final matchday of the group stage.

From the Group Stage to the Round of 32

The top two teams in Group L qualify directly for the knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup. In addition, the eight best third-placed teams across all twelve groups can also advance to the Round of 32.

Third-placed teams are ranked according to the following criteria in order: higher number of points, superior goal difference, greater number of goals scored, Fair Play ranking and, if necessary, position in the FIFA World Ranking.

Possible Knockout Stage Fixtures

• Wed, July 1, 2026, at 5:00 AM (CEST): Group L Winner vs. a qualified team from another group
• Thu, July 2, 2026, at 3:00 AM (CEST): Group L Runner-up vs. a qualified team from another group
• A third-placed team from Group L may also qualify for the Round of 32 if it finishes among the eight best third-placed teams.

The final matchups will only be confirmed after the completion of the group stage, as they depend on the standings in Groups A to L and the ranking of the eight best third-placed teams.

References:
(1) FIFA (2026). FIFA/Coca Cola Men's World Ranking. Retrieved on June 05 2026, from https://inside.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/men