How will England line up against Croatia in their 2026 World Cup opener?
Jordan Pickford will, of course, start in goal and we have a fairly clear idea of the back four. Reece James and Nico O’Reilly will be the full-backs, and the centre-back pairing will be two of Marc Guehi, John Stones and Ezri Konsa.
Both James and O’Reilly have played in midfield for Chelsea and Manchester City respectively this season and their ability and creativity on the ball – particularly James’s passing range – will add another element to the tenacity of Elliot Anderson and the drive of Declan Rice, England’s preferred pair in central midfield.
Jude Bellingham is most likely to start in the No 10 position. Morgan Rogers played a key role throughout qualifying and Tuchel took a hard line on Bellingham’s inclusion in the squad last autumn. But the Real Madrid midfielder is a leader for England, someone who can take the burden off Harry Kane both in terms of his attacking output, with his runs beyond the striker and by assuming responsibility on the field.
Lawrence Ostlere in Dallas17 June 2026 17:30
We’re just under four hours away from kick-off in Dallas now. England fans have made Dallas their own over the past couple of days.
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Luke Baker17 June 2026 17:21
Why England must top their group
We can still try to map out the draw, of course. Theoretically, there should be a material benefit in topping each group. Group winners will be rewarded in one of two ways by Fifa’s new 48-team format: either they will get to play one of the eight third-placed finishers in the round of the 32; or they will meet a second-placed finisher but then avoid facing any other group winners until the quarter-finals at the earliest.
For England – on paper, at least – winning Group L would seem advantageous in progressing deep into the tournament. They would be paired with one of the third-placed finishers in the round of 32, teams who are likely to have picked up only three or four points during the group stage.
Lawrence Ostlere in Dallas17 June 2026 17:12
England vs Croatia: Head-to-head
England and Croatia have met once in the World Cup before, and we all know how that went… On that occasion, it was Croatia who came out on top, knocking the Three Lions out of the 2018 tournament at the semi-final stage.
The last three meetings between the two sides have also been cagey affairs, with nothing more than a single goal separating them.
After playing out a goalless draw in October 2018 in the Nations League, England won the return match 2-1 a month later when goals from Jesse Lingard and Harry Kane saw England come from a goal down at Wembley to secure the win.
The last meeting was in June 2021 at the Euros when Raheem Sterling scored the only goal of the game midway through the second half as both sides went on to qualify from Group D.
England wins: 6Croatia wins: 3Draws: 2
England lost the only previous World Cup meeting between the side (Getty)
Luke Baker17 June 2026 17:06
England v Croatia: Predict the score
How will England get on tonight in their crucial World Cup opener? You can have your say below
Luke Baker17 June 2026 16:55
Bukayo Saka will continue to “take the gamble” on his fitness to be involved in England’s World Cup campaign.
The Arsenal winger has been managing an Achilles injury that dogged the end of his domestic campaign, playing through the pain barrier, and Thomas Tuchel said during the pre-tournament camp in Florida that he does not think he can yet play 90 minutes.
“As players, it’s the biggest gamble, especially if you’re not feeling your sharpest,” he said. “You have the choice whether you don’t play or you put yourself out there knowing people are going to judge you the same.
“At the end of the day, people don’t really care how you’re feeling, they expect you to deliver, they expect you to perform. I’m happy to take the gamble. It paid off, I’d say. I’m going to continue doing that.
“But I am feeling a lot better than I did in March, and I’m ready to go. I don’t want to say anything that goes against the manager, but between Mikel and Arsenal’s medical team and England’s medical team, since March, they have managed me amazingly and helped me get back on the pitch and do what I can for the team.
“I am feeling better than I have felt for the last few months. I am ready to go.”
Will Saka start this evening?
Bukayo Saka is in a fitness race (PA Wire)
Luke Baker17 June 2026 16:46
WATCH: England fans take over Dallas pub ahead of World Cup opener
England fans have been making themselves known in Dallas…
England fans take over Dallas pub ahead of World Cup opener
Luke Baker17 June 2026 16:37
How the World Cup’s great survivor Luka Modric and Croatia could torment England again
Luka Modric tends to swap shirts with an opponent after every international. It means he must need a very large wardrobe or plenty of frames. He will soon have a double century of shirts.
There was, Modric said in his autobiography, only one Croatia game where he was determined not to trade the checkered kit with a member of the opposition team: against France, in 2018.
Croatia lost, but even getting there was an extraordinary achievement. Their population remains below four million, less than 0.05 per cent of the world’s. But Modric took them to the 2018 World Cup final. He won the World Cup’s Golden Ball and then the Ballon d’Or, to follow his third consecutive Champions League with Real Madrid.
Richard Jolly writes about Croatia’s ageless wonder:
Luke Baker17 June 2026 16:29
‘Focus on what we can influence’
In the final hours before England’s opening World Cup match, Thomas Tuchel hasn’t felt the need for any extra rousing speech about what the competition is. The manager senses the right mood among the squad as it is.
“They know,” Tuchel says. “We all know, and I think you have to grow into a tournament. At the moment, I don’t feel that any emotional fuel is needed to make everyone clear what is happening. But at the moment I see it even as an advantage that we’re focused on what we can actually influence. We don’t put it in the bigger picture – just put it where it is. We know,” he repeated.
Some of the players certainly know the challenge of Croatia. They’re all well aware of Luka Modric’s quality, of course, especially since he’s been central to three of four meetings between the sides since 2018.
Miguel Delaney in Dallas17 June 2026 16:20
England XI: Pickford; James, Konsa, Guehi, O’Reilly; Anderson, Rice; Saka, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane
Croatia XI: Livakovic; Sutalo, Vuskovic, Gvardiol; Stanisic, Modric, Kovacic, Perisic; Sucic, Baturina; Musa
Alan Smith17 June 2026 16:10