Sports · World Cup 2026 · Group L
Englandvs
Ghana
Tuesday, June 23, 2026 · 4:00 p.m. ET · Boston Stadium (Gillette Stadium), Foxborough, MA
Watch: FOX · Telemundo
My pick: England win · locked 2026-06-22 13:45 UTCPrediction
England to win. Both sides won their openers — England beating Croatia 4-2, Ghana edging Panama 1-0 — so this is effectively a fight for top spot in Group L, but Thomas Tuchel's side carry the greater depth and a frontman in irresistible form. Harry Kane is one goal from becoming England's all-time World Cup top scorer, and with Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice controlling midfield, England should have too much. Ghana are well-organised under Carlos Queiroz and dangerous through Antoine Semenyo and Kamaldeen Sulemana, so it need not be comfortable. 2-1 England.
The case for England
64% to winEngland were clinical in a 4-2 win over Croatia and have the most complete squad in the group: Bellingham and Rice dominating midfield, pace out wide in Gordon and Madueke, and Kane chasing the record that would crown him their greatest World Cup scorer. Win here and they are through with a game to spare. The quality, the depth and the form all point one way.
The case for Ghana
14% to winGhana arrived with real momentum under Carlos Queiroz, conceding just once in qualifying and grinding out a disciplined 1-0 win over Panama. They are athletic, organised and carry Premier League threat in Antoine Semenyo and Kamaldeen Sulemana. Frustrate England, stay in the game past the hour and take a chance on the break, and the Black Stars can claim a result that would put them in command of Group L.
Both cases written 2026-06-22, before kickoff — they freeze into the record exactly as written, however the match goes. The percentages are mine, quoted to a decimal because false precision is funnier — the unclaimed 22% belongs to the draw.
England 4-2-3-14-2-3-1 GhanaThe briefing
Storylines
- Both sides won their openers, so this is effectively a battle for top spot in Group L, with a win guaranteeing knockout qualification.
- Harry Kane needs one goal to overtake Gary Lineker as England's all-time leading World Cup scorer.
- Jude Bellingham, at 22, could become the youngest player to reach 50 caps for England.
- England and Ghana meet at a World Cup for the first time, played in the open air at Gillette Stadium near Boston.
The coaches
Thomas Tuchel England
The German coach took charge of England in 2025 and favours a balanced 4-2-3-1 built around Bellingham, Rice and the goals of Kane.
Carlos Queiroz Ghana
The vastly experienced Portuguese coach is back with Ghana on a World Cup assignment, fielding a compact, athletic side that defends well and breaks at pace.
Availability
| Squad | No fresh injuries reported after the Croatia win; Tuchel expected to name a settled side | ESPN / Opta preview · 2026-06-22 |
| Jordan Ayew | Available — Queiroz weighing whether to keep the captain leading the line or rotate the attack | ESPN preview · 2026-06-22 |
Availability drifts hourly in tournament week — every row carries its source and date for exactly that reason.
Watch: FOX in English (stream on Fox One with a TV provider) and Telemundo in Spanish (stream on Peacock); the free Tubi simulcast carries Telemundo's Spanish feed. (NBC News / FOX Sports World Cup TV schedule, as of 2026-06-22)
Weather: Open-air at Gillette Stadium near Boston for a late-afternoon kickoff — warm, muggy early-summer conditions typical of late June in New England. (NWS Boston seasonal climatology (specific forecast not yet cleanly available), as of 2026-06-22)
Venue: Boston Stadium (Gillette Stadium), Foxborough, MA, United States — FIFA strips sponsor names for the tournament; the everyday name is in parentheses.