After the euphoria of the opening-game performance against Croatia, England came crashing back down to earth with a drab 0-0 against Ghana midweek. It means that they now head into this final game with Panama on Sunday, 28 June, still needing a result to lock in the top spot – a scenario less than ideal given Tuchel will have no doubt earmarked this as an opportunity to rest some of his stars.
Of course, this is still a game we’re expected to win, and win well, but the fact that there’s still something on the line here is very ‘England’. Its significance is underlined by potential suitors in the coming round. A win and (as it stands) we have a Round of 32 game against Cape Verde, then Mexico in the Round of 16, a draw or worse, and you throw the likes of Spain, Portugal, Colombia and Belgium into the mix. A recipe for disaster if ever there was one.
TL;DR – My Betting Predictions for England vs Panama
| Bet | Bookie | Odds | Ratings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elliot Anderson 1+ shot on target | Betfred | 1/1 | 1 |
| England to lead at HT + FT | Betfred | 8/15 | 3 |
| Over 2.5 Goals | William Hill | 9/20 | 3 |
| Carlos Harvey 2+ fouls | Betfred | 8/13 | 2 |
| Bet Builder | Betfred | 3.64/1 | 1 |
*Odds correct at 10:30 BST 25/06/2026. Odds subject to change.
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EXPIRING:
19/07/2026
Bet 1: Elliot Anderson 1+ Shots on Target
I bet this one wasn’t on too many people’s bingo cards for my first Panama vs England betting tip? And to be fair, before running the numbers, not a player I’ve backed in the shots market all too often either.
But here we are, and there’s some method to my madness.
First off, only Harry Kane (10) has more shots than Elliot Anderson (5) for England so far in the World Cup. He’s playing a slightly deeper role than he may have for Forest, which has allowed Declan Rice to support Jude Bellingham through the middle.
What happens is that, in games where England dominate possession, which they should on Saturday, it allows the likes of Anderson and Rice, to some extent, to arrive late into the box and carve out a chance or two. Which is what we’ve seen thus far.
Also, the World Cup odds for the market are absolutely ludicrous. So getting England’s second most productive shot maker at even money feels like a smart play.
Bet 2: England to Lead at Half-Time and Full-Time
Gary had great success with this market in his winning Scotland vs Brazil bet builder on Wednesday evening, and I think this game has similar hallmarks to how that game played out.
With everything still to play for, England will know they need to get off to a fast start. They were too passive from the off in the draw with Ghana, which ultimately meant they were unable to break them down as the Black Stars dropped deeper and deeper as the game progressed.
Thomas Tuchel will want that early goal to coax Panama out of their shells and force them to go forward. We saw against Croatia how devastating England can be when their opponent is camped in their own half, so early goals will be key here.
Bet 3: Over 2.5 Goals
Eyebrows will be raised at this after England’s stalemate with Ghana. They looked a little lost going forward and struggled to break down the two banks of five that Ghana reverted to very early in the game.
But the reality is that against teams ranked 40th or higher in the FIFA World rankings, England averages 3.26 goals per game (combined). That’s a lot.
Now, how Panama are ranked as highly as they are (42nd), I do not know. The hows and whys are for another day, but this is a game where England must win, and for Panama, they are already going home, so they may as well go out fighting.
Honestly, I think this is a pretty conservative line, truth be told, but for the purpose of a wider bet builder, it’s fine.
Bet 4: Carlos Harvey 2+ Fouls
While Carlos Harvey may sound like a 90s garage DJ, he’s actually been an integral part of this Panama side that’s done ever so well to even make the World Cup finals.
For those that don’t know, he’s a tenacious centre-midfielder, who’s not afraid to leave a foot in, picking up six fouls across their opening two games.
There’s a really good matchup here between him and Elliot Anderson, who himself is not shy of a tackle or two, with four in total and five fouls to add to that.
But what’s interesting about Anderson is that he frequently draws fouls as well.
On paper, this looks like a good matchup for the fouls market, and while the best World Cup bookies have an eye on this, given we’re only getting 8/13 for 2+ Harvey fouls, I think this could be a good way to squeeze in a fourth pick for the bet builder.
My England vs Panama World Cup Bet Slip
