Predicted Lineups: Tuesday 23 June — Five Matches, Every Starting XI Called

Five matches. Ten teams. One job: give you the clearest possible read on who starts. We have anchored every prediction on the most recent confirmed XI, cross-checked against each squad list, and flagged the one selection question that could yet flip the team sheet.

Norway v Senegal

Norway arrive in the better form of the two sides and we expect head coach Ståle Solbakken to keep his 4-3-3 entirely intact, with Erling Haaland leading the line and Martin Ødegaard pulling strings from the ten-adjacent midfield role. Senegal's four-game winless run demands a reaction from Aliou Cissé, but with no injuries reported the likeliest response is a sharper performance from the same 4-2-3-1 rather than wholesale changes.

Norway (4-3-3)

Senegal (4-2-3-1)

The biggest doubt surrounds Sadio Mané: if Cissé decides to move him into a more central role to jolt Senegal's attack back to life, Ismaïla Sarr shifts wide right and one of the attacking midfield spots is reshuffled, but we expect Mané to hold the left channel as he did against Norway in matchday one.

Jordan v Algeria

Jordan's four consecutive losses make this a must-win in all but name, yet with no injury absentees, coach Abdullah Abu Zema is likely to persist with the 3-4-2-1 that gave the team defensive structure even in defeat. Algeria's Djamel Belmadi has little reason to deviate from the 4-2-3-1 that produced three wins in their last five outings, with Riyad Mahrez the obvious creative fulcrum.

Jordan (3-4-2-1)

Algeria (4-2-3-1)

The x-factor here is whether Belmadi introduces Mohammed Amoura from the start to stretch Jordan's three-man defence, but with Gouiri having held that striker berth through Algeria's winning run, we expect the same front line to start.

Portugal v Uzbekistan

Portugal's draw on matchday one means Roberto Martínez will not be complacent, but the 4-2-3-1 that worked against Congo DR is the obvious template to repeat against Uzbekistan, who have lost their last three matches. Cristiano Ronaldo leads the attack; Bernardo Silva and Bruno Fernandes provide the craft behind him. Uzbekistan coach Srecko Katanec has no reason to abandon the 3-4-2-1 that at least gave his side defensive shape, with Eldor Shomurodov the lone striker.

Portugal (4-2-3-1)

Uzbekistan (3-4-2-1)

The key selection question for Portugal is whether Martínez gives João Félix or Rafael Leão a start to inject fresh pace after the draw, but continuity is the safer bet and the previous XI is what we expect to see.

England v Ghana

England have won three on the spin and Gareth Southgate's successor will not tinker with what is working: the 4-2-3-1 with Jude Bellingham at its heart and Harry Kane as the focal point up front. Ghana's sole win in their last five gave them a foothold in the group, and coach Otto Addo is likely to keep the 4-4-1-1 that found enough defensive solidity against Panama, with Jordan Ayew operating behind the striker.

England (4-2-3-1)

Ghana (4-4-1-1)

The biggest doubt for England is whether Bukayo Saka comes into the starting eleven on the right in place of Nusa Madueke, given Saka's quality and England's desire to be clinical; we lean toward Madueke retaining his place on current momentum, but Saka is the clear x-factor off the bench if not from the first whistle.

Panama v Croatia

Panama need a result to stay alive and Thomas Christiansen is likely to keep the 3-4-3 that gave them width and direct attacking threat against Ghana. Croatia, coming off a loss to England, must win to keep quarter-final hopes realistic: Zlatko Dalic will almost certainly stick with the 3-4-2-1 built around Luka Modric, with Ivan Perisic and Lovro Sucic providing the width.

Panama (3-4-3)

Croatia (3-4-2-1)

The selection doubt for Croatia centres on whether Andrej Kramaric enters the eleven ahead of Musa for greater technical link-up play against a physical Panama block, but Musa's directness has been Dalic's preferred option and we expect that to continue.

This article was researched and drafted with AI assistance and reviewed by our editorial team.