Preview: England vs Ghana - prediction, team news, lineups

Having passed their first test on the road to global glory, England can confirm a World Cup 2026 knockout place with a game to spare when they battle Ghana in Tuesday's Group L showdown at the Gillette Stadium.

The Three Lions survived a couple of scares in an opening 4-2 win over Croatia, while the Black Stars can also guarantee a top-two finish this week thanks to their 1-0 success over Panama.

Match preview

Rated third-favourites - only behind European rivals France and Spain - to win the competition in our World Cup 2026 betting guide, England enhanced their trophy credentials on June 17, replicating the most famous scoreline in their entire World Cup history at the expense of 2018 finalists Croatia.

Earning England their first 4-2 win in a World Cup match since the 1966 final against West Germany, Thomas Tuchel's attacking approach paid dividends, as record-equalling Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford made up for their defenders' deficiencies in the first half.

The psychological impact of England's striking success over Croatia cannot be overstated, as the Three Lions ended a nine-game winless World Cup run against teams in the top 15 of the world rankings, as well as snapping a six-match losing streak against such elite sides.

A mammoth 20 shots inside the penalty area also represented a new World Cup record for a rampant England, who sit top of Group L on goal difference and will be assured of a last-32 spot if they get the better of Ghana in Foxborough.

Victory on Tuesday would also represent a fourth triumph on the bounce in all tournaments for Tuchel's men, who could also score at least three goals in three successive games for the second time under the ex-Chelsea manager, who oversaw such a run against Serbia, Wales and Latvia in September-October.

Ghana coincidentally have to go back to October for the last time they scored more than one goal in a single match - a 5-0 qualification thumping of Comoros - but the Black Stars only needed a solitary strike to sink Panama last Thursday in Toronto.

Following 94 scoreless minutes in the Group L game, 20-year-old Caleb Yirenkyi made himself the unlikely hero, finishing off a sweeping counter-attack to take Ghana within just three points of a first World Cup knockout appearance since 2010.

After also winning their opening World Cup match for the first time since South Africa 16 years ago, the permutations for Carlos Queiroz's side are identical to that of England, as victory will cement their top-two spot before a final-day battle with Croatia.

Ghana

FIFA Ranking 74

Participations 4

Best Result Quarter-finals

Our Prediction Groups

Tactical approach

Carlos Queiroz favours a 4-2-3-1 built around wide attacking talent and a disciplined double pivot. Without Mohammed Kudus, the creative burden shifts almost entirely onto Semenyo and the player who occupies the number 10 role.

Read the full World Cup 2026 guide →

Yirenkyi's last-gasp strike against Panama also snapped a four-match winless sequence for the Black Stars, who had conceded 10 goals in their previous 360 minutes of football, but never before have they kept back-to-back clean sheets at the World Cup.

However, Ghana emerged the happier outfit following their first and only previous meeting with England, who were held to a 1-1 draw by the Black Stars in 2011, when Asamoah Gyan cancelled out Andy Carroll's opening effort.

England World Cup form:

England form (all competitions):

Ghana World Cup form:

Ghana form (all competitions):

Team News

While no England players are nursing serious injuries, concern lingers over Bukayo Saka (Achilles), Marcus Rashford (hamstring) and Declan Rice (hamstring), the latter of whom was forced off during the second half against Croatia.

Rice and Rashford were at least able to take part in full training on Saturday, but Saka was restricted to individual practice, and Tuchel has hinted that Noni Madueke will get the nod on the right wing once again.

However, the head coach has a critical decision to make in defence, after Ezri Konsa and John Stones were both culpable for Croatia's goals on matchday one; Marc Guehi could now step in for the former.

On Ghana's end, the Black Stars' success over Panama was partially overshadowed by the Thomas Partey situation, as the ex-Arsenal man was denied entry into Canada as he awaits a UK trial on rape and sexual assault charges, which he denies.

The now-Villarreal midfielder had already been cleared to enter the USA, though, so he is expected to be available for Tuesday's match and will likely demote Elisha Owusu to the bench.

On the injury front, first-choice goalkeeper Lawrence Ati Zigi was taken off at half time against Panama due to discomfort, but conflicting reports have emerged over his condition.

Ghana goalkeeping coach Daniel Gaspar has claimed that the national team are assessing the situation day-by-day, but reports have suggested that Ati Zigi will be out for three weeks; regardless, Benjamin Asare should be primed to start.

England possible starting lineup:

Pickford; James, Stones, Guehi, O'Reilly; Anderson, Rice; Madueke, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane

Ghana possible starting lineup:

Asare; Senaya, Adjetey, Opoku, Minseh; Yirenkyi, Partey; Fatawu, Sulemana, Semenyo; Ayew

We say: England 2-0 Ghana

Ghana struggled for a cutting edge for 94 minutes of their battle with Panama, so Queiroz's men are not best-placed to take advantage of any England rearguard vulnerabilities.

The Black Stars also put in their fair share of dodgy defensive displays before the World Cup begin, so England have our full backing to stroll into the next stage.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.