While some of the European giants disappointed in the opening match at the 2026 World Cup, England was the exception. The Three Lions got off to a hot start in the first half against Croatia and kept it up in the second half, ultimately coming away with a 4-2 win that could’ve been even more lopsided if not for Blazers goalkeeper Dominik Livaković.
At 4 p.m. ET, England will have a chance to clinch a spot in the knockout stage with a win over Ghana. The Black Stars would do the same with three points of their own.
Throughout the World Cup, DraftKings Network will be highlighting several of the tournament’s marquee matchups, breaking down every goal and major moment. Here’s how the showdown between the Three Lions and Ghana played out:
England vs. Ghana odds
England is a -550 favorite to take all three points at DraftKings Sportsbook, and the Black Stars are +1500. There are +650 odds that the teams will draw.
Tracking England vs. Ghana
Follow along as DKNetwork tracks the Group L match between England and Ghana! This section will be updated.
FT: AND THAT’S IT! ENGLAND 0, GHANA 0. BOTH TEAMS ARE ON FOUR POINTS AND ALL BUT GUARANTEED TO GO THROUGH!
90’+3: A Ghanaian defender just saved one off the line by Marc Guéhi! This game is coming alive, finally! That could be the save that sends the Black Stars through to the knockout stage for the first time 2010!
90’+2: England has earned its sixth corner of the match as it chases a late winner!
88′: Carlos Queiroz has seen enough! That’s it for Marvin Senaya, who’s been substituted off.
86′: A GREAT SAVE BY BENJAMIN ASARE ON BUKAYO SAKA! NICO O’REILLY HIT THE CROSSBAR! AND THEN HARRY KANE SENT IT OVER! THAT COULD’VE BEEN IT FOR ENGLAND!
84′: In perhaps a last-ditch effort for England, Marcus Rashford has now come on. With the Barcelona man make the difference that no other member of the Three Lions could?
79′: WHAT JUST HAPPENED?! Prince Adu had a great run and was one-on-one with Jordan Pickford in the box! He went down amid contact with Ezri Konsa, and his shot was blocked by his own teammate Antoine Semenyo! No foul was called, and the VAR did not intervene.
73′: We’re back after the hydration break, and Thomas Tuchel has made two more changes, pulling Jude Bellingham for Morgan Rogers and Elliott Anderson for Eberechi Eze. Will the changes spark anything for the Three Lions?
70′: The referee has now whistled for the hydration break. Bukayo Saka already made an impact, getting into a dangerous position close to the right post, but his header went over the bar.
69′: Harry Kane’s shot from outside the box is saved! It wasn’t a good effort for arguably the most talented striker in the world, but let’s see if that’s what wakes him up!
66′: Both managers have now turned to substitutes. Anthony Gordon’s and Djed Spence’s nights are over for the Three Lions, with Nico O’Reilly and Bukayo Saka on. As for the Black Stars, Jordan Ayew and Iñaki Williams have come on for Abdul Fatawu and Prince Adu.
64′: England’s attack has not been good at all, and Noni Madueke definitely shouldn’t have skied his effort from the top of the box several feet over the bar, but it’s really difficult to score with 10 men in the box for the opposition. Some great, compact defending there from the Black Stars, although not the most exciting for viewers.
61′: England earned a free kick in a relatively dangerous position near the right side of the box after Iñaki Williams brought Anthony Gordon down! Williams has picked up a yellow card! Elliott Anderson’s header was blocked, but that was a pretty good sequence there for the Three Lions!
57′: The first save of this contest! Anthony Gordon had a solid look from the top of the box after some beautiful build-up play, but it went right into Benjamin Asare’s arms. Not a great look overall, but a look nonetheless.
49′: Woah, a great ball over the top found Marvin Senaya on the right edge of the box! His shot was immediately blocked by Djed Spence, but what a chance that was for the Black Stars!
46′: And we’re back! Can either Ghana or England find a moment of magic in the second half?
HT: A quiet opening 45 minutes has come to an end! The odds are holding steady, as England is -200 on the Moneyline and Ghana +1200. A draw is available at +225. In the opening half, the Three Lions attempted six shots, none of which found the target, and the Black Stars didn’t attempt a single shot.
45’+4: Harry Kane just attempted his first shot of the match! It was blocked, as so many of England’s shots have been this afternoon, but that’s a great sign for the Three Lions that their best player has now gotten himself involved in the action.
43′: Ghana has now won its first corner of the game, as it’s had almost all of the momentum in the past couple of minutes! It’s been all England so far, but these are some good signs for the Black Stars!
42′: Declan Rice has now received a yellow card after a physical late challenge on Jerome Opoku! Yellow cards are wiped at the end of the group stage, but if he picks up another one in the match against Panama, he’ll be suspended for the Round of 32. That’s still more motivation for England to clinch the group today, so he can sit against the Canalmen.
35′: There’s some aggression for the Three Lions! Noni Madueke has made the difference with some nice crosses in from the right wing, and while England hasn’t yet challenged Benjamin Asare, its fans are finally engaged.
29′: We’re back after the hydration break! Will England continue its passive play, or will there be more chances on goal in the remainder of this half?
24′: Play has resumed, and both Ayew and James are still in the game.
23′: That chance didn’t turn into much of anything, and now we have a lull in the game as Jordan Ayew and Reece James made head-to-head contact, sending both men crashing to the turf. We’ll see if either has to be subbed out; Ayew is getting bandages applied to his head.
16′: The Three Lions have now earned their first corner of the game! Ghana blocked Declan Rice’s effort from the left side of the box past the end line. Let’s see if they can make something of this set piece.
14′: Declan Rice had a solid opportunity to score from a free kick, but he fired it just over the bar! Still, that was a solid set piece for the Three Lions, and that’s exactly who they wanted taking that shot! It was England’s first shot of the game, but it has looked better over the last five minutes, so let’s see if it turns the aggression on.
10′: Jude Bellingham got a touch in the box, but Ghana did an excellent job cutting it out and clearing it away! Still no shots for either team, but that was a fairly aggressive possession from Thomas Tuchel’s side, which isn’t something we’ve seen very much today.
5′: Iñaki Williams was free over the top, but was WAY, WAY offside. A sloppy one there from the Black Stars’ veteran leader.
4′: Nearly four minutes in, and the Three Lions have had possession nearly for the entire time, but haven’t attempted a shot yet. This is the slow, conservative England we’ve gotten used to.
1′: We have kickoff here in Boston! England will start with possession in the potential Group L decider!
Additional World Cup Coverage
For additional World Cup coverage from the DraftKings Network, check out the World Cup landing page here:
- 2026 World Cup Group L Preview: Preview, Picks, Odds
- Opening odds for England vs. Ghana in the FIFA 2026 World Cup
- England vs. Ghana prediction, pick for Tuesday 6/23/26
- World Cup 2026: England vs. Ghana Lineups, Odds
NOTE: Prop bet rulings are subject to official scoring and could change after the match.
