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England will kick off their World Cup campaign with a much-anticipated Group L encounter against Croatia in Dallas on Wednesday evening.

Thomas Tuchel’s men arrive at the tournament carrying huge expectations following a flawless and record-breaking qualification run. The Three Lions triumphed in all eight qualifying matches without conceding a single goal, comfortably booking their place at the finals. However, recent friendly setbacks against Uruguay and Japan have sparked some minor concerns ahead of their opening game.

Croatia, meanwhile, continue to be one of the most dependable and battle-hardened teams in international football. Under Zlatko Dalic, they have reached the semi-finals in each of the last two World Cups, demonstrating remarkable consistency and resilience. The Chequered Ones won seven of their eight qualifiers to top their group convincingly, and memories of their extra-time semi-final victory over England in 2018 will surely serve as motivation in Texas.

Date: Wednesday, 17 June 2026

Kick-off: 21:00 BST

Venue: Dallas Stadium, Arlington

Referee: Clément Turpin (FRA)

Last Meeting: England 1–0 Croatia (13 June 2021, UEFA Euro 2020)

England have suffered a setback with Tino Livramento withdrawing from the squad after sustaining a calf injury during training. Tuchel has called up Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah as his replacement to strengthen defensive options. Manchester City youngster Nico O’Reilly is tipped to make a surprise start at left-back.

Jude Bellingham is expected to start in the number 10 role ahead of Morgan Rogers, supporting captain Harry Kane in attack. Noni Madueke could be handed a start on the right flank if Bukayo Saka fails a late fitness test, while Anthony Gordon is likely to start on the left side ahead of Marcus Rashford.

Zlatko Dalic’s Croatia side are boosted by a fully fit squad after several key players overcame recent injuries. Luka Modric has fully recovered from a cheekbone fracture suffered in April and is ready to start. Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic have also shaken off minor knocks picked up during their club campaigns.

Duje Caleta-Car’s return to training after a back problem adds further depth to Croatia’s defence. Up front, Dallas-based striker Petar Musa could be preferred ahead of veteran Andrej Kramaric. Teenage defender Luka Vuskovic is expected to join Josip Sutalo and Gvardiol in a three-man backline.

England booked their place in North America by winning all eight of their qualification fixtures, becoming the first UEFA nation to qualify while keeping eight consecutive clean sheets. Nevertheless, their March friendlies produced mixed outcomes — a surprise loss to Japan followed by a win over Costa Rica. The Three Lions have lost only one of their last eight World Cup opening matches.

Croatia dropped just two points during their unbeaten qualification campaign to finish top of Group L. They will be eager to erase the disappointment of their early exit at Euro 2024. Dalic’s team had mixed results in their warm-up matches, losing to Brazil before edging Slovenia. The Vatreni remain unbeaten in group-stage games across the last two World Cups, though they have managed just one win in their five most recent tournament openers.

England Predicted XI: Pickford; James, Stones, Konsa, O’Reilly; Anderson, Rice; Madueke, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane

Croatia Predicted XI: Livakovic; Sutalo, Vuskovic, Gvardiol; Stanisic, Modric, Kovacic, Perisic; Sucic, Baturina; Musa

In the United Kingdom, the match will be televised live on ITV1, with streaming available on ITVX. Viewers in the United States can catch the live broadcast on Fox Sports.