Croatia vs Ghana prediction. Croatia must beat Ghana to keep their knockout hopes alive at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia on Sunday, 28 June 2026 (23:00 SAST (Saturday, 27 June 2026)). Ghana need only a draw to qualify. Croatia beat Panama 1-0 in a must-win MD2; Ghana held England 0-0. Modrić and Gvardiol vs Ayew, Semenyo and Kudus. Our prediction: Ghana to win or draw.Full analysis, team news, line-ups and all markets on SportPesa.
Match details
| Field | Detail |
| Competition | 2026 FIFA World Cup — Group L, Match Day 3 |
| Date & kick-off | Sunday, 28 June 2026 at 23:00 SAST (Saturday, 27 June 2026) |
| Venue | Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Group L standings | After Match Day 2: Ghana 4pts, England 3pts, Croatia 3pts, Panama 0pts (eliminated) |
| Stakes | Ghana need a draw to guarantee qualification. Croatia must win to stay alive. Simultaneous match: Panama vs England. |
| Where to watch | DSTV/GOTV |
Croatia’s last stand vs Ghana’s defensive fortress
Croatia’s journey to this fixture has been one of the tournament’s most dramatic. A 4-2 opening defeat to England, in which they conceded three second-half goals, was followed by a crucial 1-0 win over Panama where Ante Budimir scored the only goal in the 54th minute after coming on at half-time in the previous match. Zlatko Dalić expects to name his strongest available XI, with Joško Gvardiol instrumental in shoring up the defence and Luka Modrić captaining and dictating from deep midfield. Budimir appears set to start after his Panama heroics.
Croatia bring extraordinary World Cup pedigree to this match: third place in 2022, runners-up in 2018, and three semi-final appearances in their last six World Cups. They are not a side that folds under pressure. But their defensive record — 12 goals conceded in their last five matches — is a genuine concern against Ghana’s organised and confident attack.
Ghana have been the group stage’s most impressive defensive unit in Group L. A hard-fought 1-0 win over Panama — through Caleb Yirenkyi’s 95th-minute goal — was followed by an outstanding 0-0 draw with star-studded England in which the Black Stars frustrated Kane, Bellingham, and Saka for the full 90 minutes. Their defensive shape and compact organisation has been exceptional.
Jordan Ayew captains and leads Ghana’s attacking effort. Antoine Semenyo (Manchester City) is yet to score but remains a constant threat. Mohammed Kudus drives from midfield and Yirenkyi retains his place after his match-winning contribution. Ghana need only a point to secure their place in the Round of 32 for the first time since 2010.
Team news and expected line-ups
Croatia: Modrić captains. Gvardiol and Pongracic in central defence. Budimir leads up front. Livakovic in goal.
Ghana: Ayew captains. Semenyo and Nuamah in attack. Yirenkyi retains. Kudus from midfield. Mensah in goal. Confirm Ghana coach name before publish — KE article names Queiroz; verify.
| Croatia (4-3-3) | Ghana (4-4-2) |
| Livakovic (GK) | Mensah (GK) |
| Sutalo (RB) | Lamptey (RB) |
| Gvardiol (CB) | Amartey (CB) |
| Pongracic (CB) | Salisu (CB) |
| Stanišić (LB) | Dodoo (LB) |
| Modrić (DM) | Yirenkyi (DM) |
| Budimir (CM) | Samed (DM) |
| Kovačić (CM) | Kudus (RM) |
| Baturina (RW) | Ayew (AM) |
| Musa/Peršić (AM) | Semenyo (LM) |
| Ivić (LW) | Nuamah (ST) |
Key stats
- Croatia: 3pts from 2 matches. Lost England 2-4 (MD1), beat Panama 1-0 (MD2, Budimir 54’).
- Croatia: 2018 World Cup finalists. 2022 third-place finishers. Three semi-finals in last six World Cups.
- Croatia form (last 5): W L W L L — 12 goals conceded.
- Luka Modrić: captain and midfield engine. Still the heartbeat of Croatian football.
- Joško Gvardiol: key defender for Croatia. Crucial to shoring up their backline.
- Ante Budimir: scored the winner vs Panama. Expected to start.
- Ghana: 4pts from 2 matches. Beat Panama 1-0 (MD1, Yirenkyi 95’), drew England 0-0 (MD2).
- Ghana: unbeaten in this tournament. Defensive organisation has been outstanding.
- Ghana form (last 5): D W D L L — three-game unbeaten run into MD3.
- Caleb Yirenkyi: scored the 95th-minute winner vs Panama. Key player.
- Antoine Semenyo (Manchester City): yet to score but constant attacking threat.
- Mohammed Kudus: driving creative force from midfield.
- Jordan Ayew: Ghana captain. Minor head knock vs England but available.
- H2H: first ever meeting between Croatia and Ghana in any fixture.
- Group L standings (after MD2): Ghana 4pts, England 3pts, Croatia 3pts, Panama 0pts.
Head-to-head
Croatia and Ghana have never previously met in any fixture — competitive or friendly. This World Cup Group L match is the first ever encounter between the two nations.
Current form
| Team | Last 5 (inc. WC) |
| Croatia | W L W L L — 12 goals conceded in last 5 |
| Ghana | D W D L L — unbeaten in last 3 |
Our prediction
Ghana only need a draw to qualify and their defensive record at this World Cup has been remarkable. Holding England to a goalless stalemate demonstrated a discipline and organisation that Croatia’s attack will need to overcome. Their compact shape and the physicality of Amartey and Salisu in central defence makes them a difficult side to score against.
Croatia must win, which opens spaces that Semenyo, Kudus, and Yirenkyi can exploit on the counter. Modrić and Gvardiol are world-class, but Croatia’s overall defensive record in this tournament and their recent form (12 goals conceded in five) gives Ghana’s counter-attacking approach significant scope.
Our prediction: Ghana to win or draw (X2).
Odds and markets
Odds correct at 2300Hrs UTC on 27/06/2026.
How to bet on SportPesa
- Open the Croatia vs Ghana event page on SportPesa (link above).
- Choose your market — Single Bet (SB), Multi-Bet (MB), or Live Bet (LB) once the match starts.
- Enter your stake and place your bet.
Frequently asked questions
What time does Croatia vs Ghana kick off?
Kick-off is at 23:00 SAST (Saturday, 27 June 2026) on Sunday, 28 June 2026, at Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Can Ghana qualify from Group L with a draw?
Yes. Ghana lead Group L with four points after two matches. A draw against Croatia would take them to five points and guarantee their place in the Round of 32 regardless of the England vs Panama result.
What happened in Croatia’s second match at World Cup 2026?
Croatia beat Panama 1-0 on Match Day 2 to revive their qualification hopes. Ante Budimir scored the only goal in the 54th minute to give Croatia three points and keep them in contention.
What happened in Ghana’s second match at World Cup 2026?
Ghana drew 0-0 with England on Match Day 2 in a defensively excellent display, frustrating Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka. The result took the Black Stars to four points at the top of Group L.
Have Croatia and Ghana ever played before?
No. This World Cup Group L match is the first ever fixture between Croatia and Ghana in any competition.
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