England face Ghana in Group L at the 2026 World Cup, a fixture that represents the latest chapter in a long history between the Three Lions and African opposition on the global stage. With England vs Ghana bet markets reflecting England’s status as heavy favourites, the two nations have never met at a World Cup, and England and Ghana have only faced each other once in a friendly.
But England’s wider record against African nations at the tournament paints a fascinating picture, one that Tuchel’s side will be keen to extend and one that Ghana’s Carlos Queiroz will be equally determined to end.
An unbeaten record
England have never lost to an African nation at a World Cup. Across eight matches against African opposition since 1986, they have won five and drawn three, a record that is impressive in statistical terms but has contained some uncomfortable moments along the way. The most dramatic of those came in the 1990 quarter-finals against Cameroon, a match that came within minutes of producing England’s first defeat to African opposition and remains one of the most memorable games in World Cup history.
Morocco: 1986
England’s first World Cup encounter with an African nation came in the group stage in Mexico, a 0-0 draw against Morocco that was one of the most forgettable performances of Bobby Robson’s tenure. England were poor, failed to register a shot on target, and were fortunate to escape with a point.
Morocco were the better side and went on to top the group, becoming the first African nation to progress from the group stage at a World Cup. It was a chastening introduction to African opposition for England, and a result that had significant consequences for Robson’s team selection going forward.
Egypt: 1990
England’s opening game of the 1990 World Cup in Italy produced a narrow 1-0 win over Egypt, Mark Wright’s header from a free-kick separating the sides in a match that was more tense than the scoreline suggested.
Egypt were organised and disciplined, giving England few opportunities to extend their lead, and the result was far from comfortable. It was Egypt’s only World Cup appearance between 1934 and 2018, and their performance against England demonstrated the quality that African football had been quietly developing for decades.
Cameroon: 1990
The match that defines England’s record against African opposition. Roger Milla’s Cameroon, already famous for eliminating Argentina in the group stage, took England apart for long stretches of a quarter-final in Naples that England were fortunate to survive.
Cameroon led twice, had a goal disallowed, and were on the verge of a famous victory before Gary Lineker equalised from the penalty spot in the final ten minutes of normal time. He scored again from the spot in extra time to give England a 3-2 win, but the result flattered the Three Lions considerably. Milla’s tournament, and Cameroon’s performance against England specifically, remains one of the great World Cup narratives.
Nigeria and Tunisia
England faced Nigeria in the 2002 group stage in Japan, a 0-0 draw that sent both sides through to the knockout rounds but produced little in the way of genuine quality. Nigeria were a strong side containing Jay-Jay Okocha and Nwankwo Kanu, and the draw felt like a fair reflection of a match in which neither side was willing to take risks.
England then faced Tunisia in the 2018 group stage in Russia, Harry Kane scoring twice, including a header in stoppage time, to secure a 2-1 win. Tunisia had equalised from the penalty spot to make it 1-1, and England were made to work considerably harder than the final scoreline suggested.
Senegal: 2022
England’s most recent World Cup encounter with African opposition produced their most convincing performance. A 3-0 victory over Senegal in the round of 16 in Qatar, with goals from Jordan Henderson, Harry Kane, and Bukayo Saka, was England’s most complete knockout performance in years.
Senegal, the reigning African champions, were given little opportunity to impose themselves, and England’s combination of physical and technical quality proved too much on the night. World Cup betting odds heading into the 2026 tournament reflect a side that has learned from the uncomfortable moments against Cameroon and Morocco, and built towards the kind of ruthless knockout display that the Senegal result represented.
What it means for Ghana
Ghana will be aware that England have not lost to an African nation at a World Cup across nearly four decades of competition. But they will also know that several of those matches were far closer than the results suggested, and that the 1990 Cameroon match demonstrated that England are capable of being vulnerable against organised, physically competitive African opposition.
Carlos Queiroz’s experience and the individual quality of Antoine Semenyo and Brandon Thomas-Asante give Ghana more reason for optimism than the historical record alone might imply.
Article written by Ryan Miller
