Black StarsGhana’s Black Stars have been drawn in Group L alongside England, Croatia and Panama for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after Friday’s ceremony in Washington established one of the tournament’s most competitive groups. The draw held at the John F Kennedy Centre for the Performing Arts confirmed Ghana’s return to football’s biggest stage for the fifth time, setting up encounters against two European heavyweights and a rapidly improving CONCACAF side.
Former Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan described the group as tricky but expressed confidence in the team’s ability to advance from the group stage. Speaking moments after the draw, Gyan stated that all four teams want to qualify and everybody back home wants Ghana to qualify, so the team will do their possible best to qualify. The legendary striker, who remains Africa’s all time leading World Cup scorer with six goals across three tournaments, urged supporters to remain optimistic as preparations intensify for next summer.
England represent the most formidable challenge in Group L, arriving as one of the pre tournament favourites with a squad packed with Premier League stars and led by head coach Thomas Tuchel. The Three Lions described the group as difficult, acknowledging the pedigree of Croatia and Ghana while admitting limited knowledge about Panama. Tuchel stated that Croatia and Ghana are two regulars in World Cups and two proud and strong nations.
England and Ghana have faced each other only once at senior level during a friendly match on March 29, 2011, at Wembley Stadium that ended one all. Andy Carroll scored for England while Asamoah Gyan equalized for Ghana in the final minutes. It remains the only official meeting between the two nations, though connections run deep through numerous Ghanaian players who have competed in English football leagues over the decades.
Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalic acknowledged the strength of the Black Stars while highlighting his personal relationship with Gyan. Dalic told reporters after the draw that he knows Asamoah Gyan as his friend from their time together at Al Ain, but it will be a very tough game for Croatia because the Ghana team is very strong and very fast. His comments reflect Croatia’s awareness of Ghana’s threat despite the European side’s significant tournament pedigree.
Croatia reached the World Cup final in 2018 where they lost to France, and finished third in 2022 after falling to eventual champions Argentina in the semifinals. The Europeans sit tenth in FIFA’s rankings and bring extensive tournament experience, though several key players from their veteran core including Luka Modric are expected to be in their final World Cup campaign by 2026. Croatia and Ghana will face each other in the final round of Group L fixtures, a match that could play a decisive role in qualification.
Panama complete the group as the CONCACAF representative, making their second World Cup appearance after debuting in 2018. Ranked thirtieth globally, Panama are known for their physical approach and tactical discipline, qualities that could influence the qualification race from Group L. England defeated Panama six to one during the 2018 group stage when Harry Kane scored a hat trick, representing their biggest ever World Cup victory.
The expanded 48 team format of the 2026 tournament introduces new dynamics, as only the top two teams from each group will qualify automatically for the knockout stage, with four of the best third placed teams also advancing. This structure raises the stakes for all sides in Group L and creates potential pathways for Ghana even if they finish third, depending on results across other groups.
Ghana qualified for the tournament by winning eight of their ten CAF qualifying games, comfortably topping Group I ahead of Madagascar and Mali. The Black Stars enter the draw from Pot 4, meaning a demanding path was almost guaranteed given the seeding structure that placed top ranked nations in Pot 1. Coach Otto Addo can now begin detailed preparations for encounters that offer both enormous challenges and significant opportunities.
Per the FIFA schedule, the Black Stars will play their group matches in the United States and Canada. Ghana’s opening match against Panama takes place on Wednesday June 17 in Dallas at AT&T Stadium. The team then faces England on Tuesday June 23 at either Gillette Stadium in Boston or BMO Field in Toronto. The final group fixture against Croatia occurs on Saturday June 27 at either MetLife Stadium in New York New Jersey or Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
The World Cup kicks off on June 11 and runs until July 19, 2026, with fixtures staged across 16 host cities in the United States, Mexico and Canada including Los Angeles, New York, Dallas, Houston, Vancouver, Toronto, Mexico City and Monterrey. The final will be played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on July 19. FIFA confirmed match dates and venues on Saturday December 6, with kick off times to be announced subsequently as ticketing information becomes available.
Ghana’s participation marks the fifth World Cup appearance for the Black Stars since their debut in 2006. Their inaugural campaign saw them progress from a group including Italy, the Czech Republic and the United States, before losing to Brazil in the round of 16. Ghana reached the quarterfinals in 2010, becoming only the third African nation to do so after falling to Uruguay on penalty kicks following Luis Suarez’s controversial handball on the goal line.
The Black Stars also competed at the 2014 tournament in Brazil and most recently at Qatar 2022, where they failed to advance from the group stage despite competitive performances against Portugal, South Korea and Uruguay. The expanded 2026 format offers Ghana renewed hope of progressing beyond the group stage for the first time since their memorable run to the quarterfinals sixteen years ago.
Notable Ghanaian players expected to feature prominently include Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, West Ham United midfielder Mohammed Kudus, Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey, Athletic Bilbao forward Inaki Williams and Ajax goalkeeper Abdul Manaf Nurudeen. The squad combines Premier League experience with emerging talent from European leagues, providing Coach Addo with options across all positions.
England as one of the four highest ranked teams have been rewarded in the draw’s new tennis style seeded bracket, which ensures they will not face Spain, Argentina or France until the semifinals provided they all win their respective groups. This structure creates a potentially favorable path for the Three Lions while also meaning Ghana could avoid facing multiple tournament favorites until later stages if they progress from Group L.
The draw sets up compelling narratives across all four teams. England seek their first World Cup title since 1966 and will view Group L as a manageable pathway to the knockout stages. Croatia aim to demonstrate their tournament pedigree remains intact despite an aging squad. Panama hope to improve on their 2018 debut when they lost all three group matches. Ghana seek redemption after falling short in 2022 and aspire to recapture the magic that carried them deep into the 2010 tournament.