2026 World Cup: Ghana can cause upset against England and Croatia – Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Former Sweden captain Zlatan Ibrahimovic has tipped Ghana to cause an upset against England and Croatia at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, suggesting the Black Stars could emerge as a disruptive force in Group L.

The four-time African champions are preparing for their fifth appearance at the global tournament, where they have been drawn alongside England, Croatia and Panama.

Despite what he described as Ghana’s unconvincing form heading into the competition, the former AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United striker expressed confidence that the Black Stars could trouble Europe’s elite.

“I’m supporting Croatia in this tournament. We have Ghana, a side blessed with immense talent, so it will be interesting to see what they can bring to the competition," he told FOX Sports.

"We also have Panama, but unfortunately, this is a very tough group for them. I believe England and Croatia will battle for top spot, but Ghana might disturb England and Croatia and take some points. I don’t mean any disrespect to Panama, but this group will be a challenging one for them to pick up points in,” Ibrahimovic added.

Ghana will open their campaign against Panama at BMO Field on June 17, before taking on England at Gillette Stadium on June 23. Their final group match will be against Croatia on June 27.

The Black Stars are seeking to progress beyond the group stage for the first time since 2010, having suffered back-to-back early exits at the 2014 and 2022 editions. Head coach Carlos Queiroz is expected to lead the team’s bid to end that poor run.