What are England's odds of winning the World Cup - and what you need to know about Panama squad

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England's disappointment in drawing against Ghana continues the trend of getting just the point in their second group stage match - a random but relative statistic. It still puts England in a great position for qualification to the next stage of the World Cup .

As things stand, England are equal on points with Ghana but are ahead on goal difference and goals scored while Croatia could only manage a 1-0 win over Panama and securing the Three Lions next opponents elimination from the World Cup.

The bookies are expecting this to be cut-and-dry with England the unsurprising heavy favourites at 2/11 with William Hill , AK Bets and Betfred while Panama are 14/1 with Sky Bet and Paddy Power to cause the greatest shock in World Cup history. You can also find more betting offers at the Mirror Betting Hubs Free Bets offers .

It is only the second time the nation has qualified for the World Cup and have already showed some signs of improvement from their last outing back in Russia 2018. Back-to-back 1-0 defeats is an improvement to the 3-0 loss to Belgium and the 6-1 thrashing to England where Kane scored a hat-trick.

Now the two sides meet in circumstances that will favour Thomas Tuchel's side. The German head coach is keen to see an improvement in England's ability to wrap up games quickly after failing to break Ghana's low block - a familiar tactic by former Man United coach Carlos Quieroz.

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This match is a rerun of the countries’ only previous encounter, which also came in the World Cup group stage back in 2018, and the circumstances feel much the same: England looking for a calm, controlled win, with Panama already eliminated and able to play without pressure. Thomas Tuchel’s team opened by scoring four against Croatia before being contained by Ghana, and a return to that more expansive approach should provide most of what’s needed from a tactical point of view.

Panama, coached by Thomas Christiansen, have remained organised in both group games and conceded only two goals, but they have not managed to score against either Croatia or Ghana. With progression no longer possible, there is little reason for Christiansen to keep everything tight, yet the gap in quality against England is still significant. The bigger question is not whether England win, but the size of the victory.

Harry Kane has his own incentives too, already on two goals in the tournament as he hunts further milestones. England’s depth in attack means changes to the XI still bring danger, and Panama’s form in qualifying and this group stage suggests they find it hard to cope when they are pinned back for long spells.

Panama captain Aníbal Godoy, 36, remains one of the squad’s most influential figures and is expected to sit at the base of midfield again. Fellow veteran Alberto Quintero, 38, adds further know-how, although Panama’s attacking options lack depth at this level. José Fajardo and Ismael Díaz look the most plausible routes to a goal, with Díaz arriving as their leading scorer from recent qualifying matches. Thomas Christiansen has reported no confirmed absences ahead of this game.

For England, Harry Kane, with 113 caps and 79 international goals, has already scored twice in the tournament and remains the centrepiece of Thomas Tuchel’s forward line.He was left frustrated after skying a close-range effort to beat Ghana so will be keen for a repeat against Panama the last time the two nations played. Jude Bellingham, Marcus Rashford and Bukayo Saka provide the creativity and support around him, while Declan Rice has been England’s steadiest midfield performer throughout the group stage. With England’s position secure, Tuchel could rotate, but goal difference still matters and the expected XI is likely to stay close to first choice.

What remains unclear is whether Tuchel opts for sweeping changes or keeps a strong side to maintain rhythm heading into the knockout rounds.

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