Troost-Ekong Predicts Ghana Will Hold England to a Draw at 2026 FIFA World Cup

William Troost-Ekong, the former Super Eagles captain, has tipped Ghana to draw with England in their second Group L fixture at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, expressing confidence in the Black Stars following their opening match performance.

Ghana entered the fixture with momentum after a narrow 1-0 victory over Panama in their group stage opener, a result that keeps their round of 32 ambitions firmly intact. They now face England’s Three Lions at Gillette Stadium in the United States, a venue that will host one of the more keenly anticipated African versus European matchups of the tournament.

Troost-Ekong, who faced both nations during his international career with Nigeria before retiring from the Super Eagles, drew on that experience when assessing the upcoming clash. Speaking to ESPN, the former defender made clear where his continental allegiances lie when African sides take the field against European opponents.

“I would love Ghana to go and do well. I think the beauty of the World Cup is that all the teams — even when we’ve been at the World Cup before — want to see the other African teams do well. I think it’s very important for the continent,” Troost-Ekong told ESPN.

He also acknowledged the shared bonds that exist between African footballing nations, even those that compete directly against one another in qualifying. “Besides the rivalry where we play against each other, often there’s also a lot of love, because we know the players well. Maybe from my perspective now, having retired from the national team, it’s easier to say that,” he added.

Troost-Ekong pointed specifically to Ghana’s second-half substitutions against Panama as evidence that the Black Stars have the attacking quality to trouble England. Second-half introductions Brandon Thomas-Asante and Abdul Fatawu were singled out for praise, with Troost-Ekong suggesting their impact would have given England’s coaching staff cause for concern in their preparations.

“I was very happy with their performance against Panama. Leading up to the game against England, there are a lot of positives. I thought they looked very resilient in that game. I think the substitutions in the second half — especially Brandon Thomas-Asante and Abdul Fatawu — made a really big difference. I think they’ve given [England] something to think about,” he said.

From a group standings perspective, the stakes are significant for both sides. A victory for either team would secure qualification for the round of 32, while a draw would also be sufficient for both to advance, though their final group positions would remain undetermined heading into the final matchday. Ghana’s opening win over Panama already places them in a strong position compared to where many African nations find themselves after the first round of fixtures.

Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz, who has also made headlines during the tournament after breaking an all-time World Cup record previously set against Nigeria, will be tasked with setting up his side to frustrate an England team expected to carry significant quality across the squad. Whether the Black Stars can replicate the defensive solidity and late-game impact that proved decisive against Panama remains to be seen, but Troost-Ekong’s assessment suggests he believes the tools are in place for a competitive result.