Preview: Croatia vs Ghana | Latest news, line-ups, absences (27/06/2026)
Preview, team news, head to head, probable line ups and where to watch Croatia vs Ghana in the 2026 FIFA World Cup
At 22:00 BST on Saturday, 27 June, Croatia take on Ghana at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia in the final round of Group L fixtures at the 2026 World Cup. With qualification for the knockout stages still on the line, both teams head into the match knowing that a positive result could be enough to secure their place in the last 32.
The group has developed into one of the more intriguing sections of the tournament. England lead the way on four points after beating Croatia and drawing with Ghana, while Croatia and Ghana remain firmly in contention. Ghana’s disciplined 0-0 draw against England has left them well placed heading into the final round, while Croatia revived their campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over Panama after their opening defeat to the Three Lions.
That means there is plenty at stake in Philadelphia, with the two sides competing with England to top their World Cup group. Croatia will be looking to lean on their tournament experience and midfield quality, while Ghana will believe they have already shown they can frustrate one of the favourites and have every chance of extending their stay in North America.
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It is the difference in these two sides’ success against England that sets them apart and gives Ghana the headstart going into the game. There are a wide range of permutations available in Group L and group positions could shift over the course of the evening.
Croatia
After conceding four goals in their opening defeat to England, Croatia responded in the manner expected of a side with extensive tournament pedigree. Zlatko Dalić‘s men were far from spectacular against Panama, but they were organised, controlled large periods of possession and found the goal they needed to keep qualification hopes firmly alive.
As ever, much of Croatia’s play revolves around the midfield partnership of Luka Modrić and Mateo Kovačić. Even at 40, Modrić continues to dictate the rhythm of games, while Kovačić’s ability to progress the ball through midfield remains a key weapon. At the back, Joško Gvardiol provides leadership and composure, while Ivan Perišić continues to offer experience and quality in the final third.
There are no widely reported major injury concerns in the Croatian camp ahead of the match, although Dalić may consider minor adjustments depending on fitness levels after an intense group-stage campaign.
Ghana
Ghana have arguably exceeded external expectations so far. After opening the tournament with a victory over Panama, the Black Stars followed it up with a highly disciplined goalless draw against England. Carlos Queiroz‘s side defended superbly in that match, limiting one of the tournament favourites to very few clear-cut opportunities.
The result highlighted the organisation and work ethic within the squad. Ghana were content to sit deep for long periods, remain compact between the lines and force England into wide areas. It was not the most expansive performance, but it was extremely effective.
Players such as Jordan Ayew, Antoine Semenyo and Iñaki Williams continue to provide the main attacking threat, while Thomas Partey provides experience in midfield. Ghana’s challenge now is balancing caution with ambition. A draw would be enough to secure second place and guarantee their ticket to the round of 32, but sitting back for 90 minutes against a technically gifted Croatian side carries obvious risks.
Croatia vs Ghana H2H: head-to-head stats
These two sides have never met before, so Saturday’s game will write a new page in the history of both teams. This expanded World Cup has thrown up plenty of firsts and this is another.
Predicted line-ups
Ghana got what they needed against England and may well feel it’s worth running it back to maximise their chances of another positive result. On the other hand, with four points in the bank, Carlos Queiroz knows there’s a good chance his team will be in the next round regardless and may switch things up, either to rest players or to play more expansively. It will be interesting to see if Partey and Williams keep their places.
Tactical analysis: will Ghana look to frustrate again?
Croatia’s approach is unlikely to change dramatically. Dalić’s side will look to dominate possession, control the tempo through Modrić and Kovačić and gradually wear down Ghana’s defensive structure. Their victory over Panama demonstrated patience and discipline, but they will need greater creativity if they are to unlock a defence that recently shut out England.
Ghana are expected to adopt a familiar approach. Queiroz has built his side around organisation, compactness and defensive discipline. Against England, the Black Stars defended deep and crowded central areas, making it difficult for Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane to find space. A similar game plan would not be surprising here.
One of the key battles may come in midfield. Croatia possess greater technical quality and passing range, but Ghana have athleticism, energy and more youth. If the Black Stars can disrupt Croatia’s rhythm and force turnovers, they will fancy their chances of creating opportunities through Williams and Semenyo on the counter-attack, who will both be hoping for more chances to do so than against England.
Key players to watch
Luka Modrić will look to use his experience to dictate the game, while Ghana will hope to see the best of Manchester City’s Antoine Semenyo if they are to come out victorious.
Luka Modrić (Croatia)
His class on the ball is still there and Croatia’s maestro is still the heartbeat of the team. Ghana will look to limit his time and space to stifle Croatia.
Yet for all his quality, his age showed in certain moments off the ball in the game against England, namely the penalty committed on Noni Madueke. Against a physical Ghana side, backing a card to be shown to Modrić might prove to be a smart bet.
Antoine Semenyo (Ghana)
The Black Star’s most direct attacking threat, Semenyo will be looking to cause problems in transition. With the pace of Williams on the other side however, Croatia can’t afford to focus all their attention on limiting the supply to Semenyo.
Semenyo is Ghana’s biggest threat, and backing him to get his first World Cup goal at any time throughout the match is the pick here.
Where to watch in the UK and Ireland
Croatia vs Ghana kicks off at 22:00 BST on Saturday, 27 June at Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia Stadium). The match is one of the standout fixtures in the final round of Group L games, with both teams still battling for a place in the knockout stages.
United Kingdom: The match will be shown live on ITV4, with streaming available through ITVX. Coverage will begin shortly before kick-off, with viewers also able to follow highlights and post-match analysis across ITV’s World Cup programming.
Republic of Ireland: Coverage is expected to be available through RTÉ Player and as part of RTÉ’s World Cup schedule.
Market insights and probability predictions
According to the latest World Cup odds, Croatia head into their final Group L match as clear favourites, with the latest markets giving Zlatko Dalić’s side approximately a 60% chance of victory. Ghana are rated at around 18%, while the draw is assigned a probability of roughly 25%. Those prices reflect Croatia’s greater tournament experience and midfield quality, although Ghana’s impressive defensive displays against both Panama and England mean the Black Stars are viewed as capable of making life difficult for the Europeans.
A relatively low-scoring encounter is likely according to the latest betting tips and predictions for Croatia vs Ghana. Under 2.5 goals is marginally favoured by bookmakers, while “Both Teams to Score – No” is also shorter-priced than the alternative. That reflects the fact that Ghana have conceded just once in two matches and held England to a goalless draw, while Croatia’s only victory so far was a narrow 1-0 success over Panama. As a result, scorelines such as 1-0 and 2-0 to Croatia feature prominently among the most popular correct-score selections.
In the goalscorer markets, Ante Budimir is the shortest-priced Croatian player to score at any time after netting the winner against Panama, while Andrej Kramarić and Ivan Perišić are also expected to attract support. For Ghana, Antoine Semenyo is viewed as the most likely source of a goal, with the Bournemouth forward carrying much of the side’s attacking threat throughout the tournament. Bettors expecting Croatia to edge a tight contest may be drawn to combinations such as Croatia to win and Under 3.5 Goals.
