Group L

Group L opens on June 17, 2026 with England vs Croatia and closes with the simultaneous final matchday on June 27, 2026. With each side playing three group matches, the calendar uses 6 of the tournament's 16 venues across the three host countries -- matchdays are spread to give every team rest between fixtures and let supporters travel between cities. The FIFA-ranking spread inside Group L is comparatively tight: England are the highest-ranked of the four, but the gap to the rest of the group is small enough that a single result can flip the projection. Tight groups historically swing on opening-day form and the goal-difference column. In the new 48-team format the top two from Group L qualify automatically for the Round of 32. The eight best third-placed teams from the 12 first-round groups also advance, meaning a third-place finish can still be enough -- but the points-and-goal-difference comparison across groups is the tie-breaker, so the final matchday matters to every side, regardless of position.