England vs Ghana World Cup 2026: prediction, team news, and what to expect

England will face Ghana in their second Group L match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday at Gillette Stadium in Houston, kicking off at 4pm local time (20:00 GMT). Both teams started the tournament with victories: England defeated Croatia 4-2, while Ghana beat Panama 1-0.

England’s attacking display against Croatia featured goals from Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and Marcus Rashford, but defensive weaknesses were exposed. Ghana, on the other hand, showed discipline and balance in their 1-0 win, with Caleb Yirenkyi scoring the only goal. The Black Stars aim to reach the knockout stage for the first time since 2010.

Midfielder Declan Rice said England’s second-half performance against Croatia set a “benchmark” for the team. “We know that if we can do that from the opening minute, with the players we have, we can beat any opponent in the world,” he told reporters.

Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz called facing England “the easiest type of match” because players need no extra motivation. “We know they have the three lions on their shirt, but we come from Ghana and have 33 million lions to fight for this game,” he added.

According to Opta’s supercomputer, England have a 78.8% probability of winning, Ghana 7.9%, with a 13.3% chance of a draw. England are fourth in Opta’s overall winner predictions (10.39%), behind Argentina, France, and Spain.

Team news: England have no injury concerns – Bukayo Saka has recovered from Achilles pain and is available. Ghana’s Thomas Partey missed the opener due to visa issues (he faces rape allegations in the UK, which he denies) but is cleared for the US match. Goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi is a doubt due to injury.

The teams have met only once before, a 1-1 friendly draw in 2011. England are unbeaten in eight World Cup matches against African opposition.