Croatia vs Ghana: Croatia Must Win, Ghana Need Only a Draw

Predictions

Croatia must win, the kind of night where the loser goes home, while Ghana need only a draw to knock out a big name.

The experts are split, which tells you how close this one really looks.

• Our prediction: a tight Croatia 1-0 win.
• OneFootball: Croatia to win in a tight, low-scoring game, with under 2.5 goals.
• Racing Post: A win from Ghana or a draw, as their organized defense can frustrate an aging Croatia.

What does each team need?

Croatia sit 3rd in Group L on 3 points, and only a win keeps them in the World Cup.

A draw or a loss sends them home, so there is no safety net here.

That makes Croatia the desperate ones, chasing a goal they simply have to score.

In front of them, Ghana are sitting pretty on 4 points, and a draw or a win is enough to take them through.

So Ghana need just a single point, while Croatia need all 3, and that one difference changes how both teams will play.

Why are Croatia the favorites?

Croatia have more big-game quality than almost anyone left in this group.

Their captain is Luka Modric, the midfield playmaker who has run games at the highest level for years, and this is very likely his last World Cup.

Lose this one, and the great man could be heading home for good.

That is a farewell the whole team feels, and you can bet his teammates want to send him out with a deep run, not an early flight home.

They started with a 4-2 loss to England, then bounced back with a 1-0 win over Panama.

Add the do-or-die pressure, and the bookmakers make Croatia the favorites at about -140, which is roughly a 58% chance to win.

Can Ghana get the draw they need?

Ghana have been the surprise of this group, and their defense is the reason why they have already banked 4 points.

They have not let in a single goal all tournament, which is a huge deal at this level.

Not many people gave Ghana a chance, but they are defending like a wall, now one point away from sending a big name home.

They beat Panama 1-0, then held England to a 0-0 draw.

The man who holds it all together is their midfielder Thomas Partey, who wins the ball back and starts the attacks.

Their plan for this match is simple: stay compact, soak up the pressure, and break forward fast whenever Croatia leave gaps chasing the goal they have to score.

Our call: Croatia 1-0

We are going with a narrow 1-0 Croatia win.

Croatia have the better players, and they cannot afford a draw, so they will throw everything at this.

But Ghana are so hard to break down that we do not see a flood of goals.

One moment of Croatian quality, maybe from Modric, looks like the difference in a tense, low-scoring game.

What is at stake in Group L?

This game decides who finishes 2nd and grabs the last Group L spot in the knockouts.

The other game, Panama vs England, is expected to send England through as the group winners.

So the winner of Croatia vs Ghana, or Ghana with a draw, books the second place into the knockout bracket.

For the loser, the World Cup is over that night, and for Croatia that could mean waving goodbye to Modric for good.

Where and when can you watch?

The game is on Saturday June 27, 2026, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Kickoff is 17:00 (5:00 PM) Eastern time.

You can also see all the details on the match page.

Need a seat for it? Take a look at our World Cup tickets guide.