England will target a fast start to their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group L campaign when they face Croatia at the Dallas Stadium on the evening of Wednesday.
Kick-off at 10pm CAT.
Form
England’s warm-up programme saw them defeat New Zealand 1-0 and Costa Rica 3-0 in friendlies held in the United States on 6 June and 10 June respectively. Coach Thomas Tuchel experimented with various formations and line-ups, but he is expected to return to a more predictable selection for this World Cup opener.
The Three Lions will be appearing at the World Cup for the 17th time. They were winners as hosts in 1966, while their last showing in 2022 ended in the quarterfinals when they were beaten 2-1 by eventual runners-up France.
Croatia’s preparations saw them suffer a 2-0 defeat to Belgium on June 2, followed by a 2-1 win over Slovenia five days later. Zlatko Dalic’s side boast enormous experience, but there is a worry that they rely too heavily on aged veterans such as Luka Modric (40) and Ivan Perisic (37).
Vatreni (Blazers) will be appearing at their seventh World Cup. In three of their tournaments they have exited in the group stage, while the other three have seen them reach at least the semifinals, as they finished third in 1998 (debut) and 2022, and were runners-up in 2018.
What the teams are saying
England coach Thomas Tuchel
“I thought 'okay, if we can really play like this and grow into the tournament and have this kind of cohesion and brotherhood and team spirit that we showed today, then we will have an amazing connection with the fans'. This will hopefully be an amazing experience because it's the first time for me and it's a World Cup, and it's coming.”
Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic
“We open against England, a top-notch and very strong opponent. The first game is always crucial and it is important to start well. We want to give our maximum on the field, which we have shown at the last two World Cups. Croatia has the strength and quality to do great things and I sincerely hope that we will show that again.”
Players to watch
England – Harry Kane
England’s all-time top scorer (79 goals in 114 matches), Harry Kane is the Three Lions’ captain, talisman and attacking spearhead. The 32-year-old enters his third World Cup hungry to lead his nation back to glory 60 years after they won their one and only major title.
Croatia – Luka Modric
The 40-year-old Croatia captain is set to hit the 200-cap mark in the course of this World Cup, underlining his vast experience and status as an all-time legend. Modric’s passing, positioning and nous remain world class, but does he have the legs to inspire another strong campaign for his nation?
Head-to-head
England and Croatia have met in 11 matches dating back as far as 1996. The Three Lions have claimed six wins compared to three for Vatreni, while two games have been drawn.
The teams’ only World Cup tournament meeting was in the semifinals in 2018 when Croatia famously won 2-1 after extra time in Moscow, while their most recent clash was in the group stage of Euro 2020 (held in 2021), with England winning 1-0 in London.
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