World Cup 2026 pages
Sports · World Cup 2026 · Group L
Englandvs
Ghana
0–0
Full time · Tuesday, June 23, 2026 · 4:00 p.m. ET · Boston Stadium (Gillette Stadium), Foxborough, MA
Result
England were held to a goalless draw by a resolute Ghana in Boston, a result that keeps both sides in the hunt for top spot in Group L. Thomas Tuchel's side dominated possession — close to 80% of the ball and 19 shots — but ran into Ghana goalkeeper Benjamin Asare, deputising for the injured Lawrence Ati Zigi, and could not find a way through. England's clearest chances came late, Nico O'Reilly striking the crossbar and a Marc Guéhi header cleared off the line in stoppage time, so Harry Kane's wait to become England's all-time World Cup top scorer goes on. Ghana, compact and disciplined with Thomas Partey shielding the back four, dug in for a deserved point.
England 4-2-3-14-1-4-1 GhanaEnglandSubstitutions
At this Stage
The goalless draw in Foxborough compressed Group L instead of clarifying it. England and Ghana share the lead on four points — England first only on goal difference, +2 to +1 — after Ghana's block, with stand-in keeper Benjamin Asare unbeaten behind it, absorbed nineteen England shots. Croatia's 1-0 over Panama makes it three teams within a point, and any of the three can still win the group on the final day. Panama are the outliers: two defeats by a single goal apiece, zero points, and a last matchday that requires both a win and generosity from elsewhere. Harry Kane's wait to become England's all-time World Cup scorer goes on; so, more consequentially for the table, does England's wait to put this group away. Matchday three arrives with everything in Group L still to play for.
Group L
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +2 | 4 |
| Ghana | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 4 |
 Croatia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 3 |
 Panama | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 |
Top two (above the accent line) advance to the round of 32; the third-placed team is in the race for one of the eight best-third spots.
What we know now
Venue: Boston Stadium
Attendance: 63,983
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.
What I said beforehand
The preview, frozen at kickoff. Clearly dated, never rewritten — that's the deal that makes the predictions worth anything.
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.
My locked pick: England win ✗ WRONG
“Both sides won their openers — England beating Croatia 4-2, Ghana edging Panama 1-0 — but England's depth and form in front of goal should decide this top-of-Group-L meeting in Boston. England to win.”
Locked 2026-06-22 13:45 UTC — rendered verbatim from the pick ledger; never a fresher, hedged version
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.
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
| Tino Livramento | Out — a calf injury suffered before the Croatia game rules him out for the rest of the tournament; Trevoh Chalobah was called up as cover | Sports Mole / Al Jazeera |
| Bukayo Saka | Available — no longer troubled by the Achilles problem; Madueke expected to keep the right flank | Al Jazeera |
| Lawrence Ati Zigi | Doubt/Out — the first-choice keeper was withdrawn at half-time against Panama; reports suggest a multi-week absence, with Benjamin Asare set to start | Sports Mole / Al Jazeera |
| Thomas Partey | Available — cleared to feature and expected to start, likely demoting Elisha Owusu to the bench | Al Jazeera |
Availability drifts hourly in tournament week — every row carries its source and date for exactly that reason.
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)
Referee: Said Martínez (Honduras). (FIFA match appointments via Sports Mole / Athlon, as of 2026-06-23)
Venue: Boston Stadium (Gillette Stadium), Foxborough, MA, United States — FIFA strips sponsor names for the tournament; the everyday name is in parentheses.