England vs Ghana: World Cup 2026 Group L preview
England vs Ghana: World Cup 2026 Group L preview — kick-off time, TV channel, team news and prediction
By Simon Phillips-Moore
England take on Ghana in their second Group L fixture of the 2026 World Cup on Tuesday evening, looking to all but secure their place in the knockout rounds with a game to spare.
When and where
The match kicks off at 9pm BST on Tuesday 23 June at Boston Stadium — the tournament name for Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. That translates to a 4pm local time start on the US East Coast. UK viewers can watch live and free on BBC One, with coverage beginning at 8pm. BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website will also stream the game, and radio commentary is available on both BBC Radio 5 Live and talkSPORT.
The state of play
Both sides go into this on three points after winning their openers, but in very different fashion. England were outstanding against Croatia, running out 4-2 winners in a game that felt like a genuine statement of intent. Harry Kane bagged a brace, Jude Bellingham got on the scoresheet and Marcus Rashford added a fourth after coming off the bench. A mammoth 20 shots inside the penalty area set a new World Cup record for England, and Thomas Tuchel’s attacking approach drew plenty of admiring glances.
Ghana, meanwhile, made hard work of beating Panama. Carlos Queiroz’s side managed just 38% possession and two shots on target across 90 minutes, looking disjointed and lightweight going forward before 20-year-old Caleb Yirenkyi popped up in the 95th minute to settle it with a counter-attacking finish, set up smartly by Coventry’s Brandon Thomas-Asante.
What’s at stake
A win for England here would move them to six points with one group game remaining, almost certainly guaranteeing a place in the last 32. Ghana know that a positive result would put them in an equally commanding position. Panama and Croatia both sit on zero points, so the dynamic at the top of Group L is entirely between these two.
Team news
Concerns lingered over Bukayo Saka (Achilles), Rashford (hamstring) and Declan Rice (hamstring) after the Croatia game, but all three were reported to have trained on Monday and are expected to be available. Saka came off the bench against Croatia and may do so again, with Noni Madueke likely to keep his place on the right wing. The more pressing selection question is at centre-back — both Ezri Konsa and John Stones were culpable for Croatia’s goals, and Marc Guehi could step in.
For Ghana, the major news is that Thomas Partey — denied a visa for the Panama fixture in Canada — should be available to return in midfield. Lawrence Ati-Zigi, the first-choice goalkeeper, came off injured at half-time in the opener and his availability is uncertain; Benjamin Asare is expected to deputise if he cannot recover in time.
Predicted line-ups
England (4-2-3-1): Pickford; James, Konsa/Guehi, Stones, O’Reilly; Anderson, Rice; Madueke, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane.
Ghana (4-2-3-1): Asare; Senaya, Adjetey, Opoku, Mensah; Yirenkyi, Partey; Nuamah, Sulemana, Semenyo; Thomas-Asante.
Head to head
The two sides have met only once — a 1-1 friendly draw in 2011, when Asamoah Gyan cancelled out Andy Carroll’s opener. Ghana will point to that result as evidence they can hold their own against England, though the context of a World Cup group match is rather different.
The key battle
The midfield duel between Declan Rice and Thomas Partey will likely define the contest. Rice, with 72 caps to his name, has become the engine of Tuchel’s England — winning the ball, setting the tempo and feeding the channels that Saka, Rashford and Madueke thrive in. Partey, with 57 international caps and 15 goals to his name, is a formidable disrupter who will look to spring Ghana’s counter-attacks through the lines. Whoever dominates that central zone goes a long way to deciding whether this is a comfortable England afternoon or a scrappy affair that suits the underdogs.
Antoine Semenyo is the other name to watch on the Ghana side. The Manchester City forward was poorly served against Panama, shifted around the frontline without ever finding a settled role, and Queiroz will need to find a better way of using him if Ghana are to cause England any real problems.
Odds
England are overwhelming favourites at around 2/9. The draw is priced at 6/1 and Ghana’s outright win at 14/1. Over 2.5 goals is available at 4/6. England are third favourites for the tournament overall at 11/2, behind France at 4/1 and Spain.
Prediction
Ghana are not here simply to make up the numbers — Queiroz is a pragmatist who builds compact, disciplined structures, and England will need patience to break them down. But the quality gap between the squads is significant, and England’s firepower, creativity and set-piece threat should prove too much across 90 minutes. Expect a controlled rather than spectacular England win — Kane is the likeliest match-winner, and his movement in behind an injury-depleted Ghana defence should create plenty.
England to win, 2-0.
