England begin their World Cup campaign against Croatia in a rematch of the 2018 semi-final, with Thomas Tuchel’s side seeking to shake off selection controversy and make an impact in Group L. Follow our liveblog to see how it unfolds.
Expected lineups
England : Pickford – James (ou Spence), Konsa, Guéhi, O’Reilly – Rice, Anderson – Saka (ou Madueke), Bellingham, Gordon (ou Rashford), Kane.
Perisic’s header at the near post is converted by Musa at the back post. The Croats refuse to quit!
5 minutes of added time
King Harry doubles!!!
Harry Kane heads home from a Rice corner! He powers a header past Livakovic to restore England’s lead!
GOAAAAAAAAAAAL
What a finish from Martin Baturina!
James’s cross blocked
Reece James attempts to find a teammate with a cross from the right but a Croatian defender intercepts and clears the danger
Croatia’s revival
The Croats begin to assert themselves and take more possession after a difficult start!
Fans in London react after Kane’s opener
Time for a cooling break
Solo run fails
Bellingham attempts a dribble but the Croatian goalie deals with it easily
Bellingham saves the day
Musa finds space but Jude Bellingham races back to make a crucial defensive block and keep England’s lead intact
King Harryyyyy Kaneeeeee
French referee Turpin indicated a retake.
Kane takes a long run-up and buries the penalty into the bottom right corner.
The milestone 80th goal for the Three Lions captain!!
What a saveee
Harry Kane strikes low to the right but Dominik Livaković reads it perfectly and makes the save. A huge let-off for Croatia.
PENALTY!
Noni Madueke darts past Luka Modric in the box and the 40-year-old veteran brings him down. A surprising error from the Croatian legend as England earn a crucial early chance from the spot
First chance for Croatia
Perisic finds Baturina at the far post but his finish sails over Pickford’s goal.
Off we go!
Croatia’s anthem
Lijepa naša domovino rings in Arlington
God save the King
England’s national anthem fills the stadium.
Always well-placed without ever claiming a second title in its history, modern England launches its World Cup 2026 against Croatia. Vice-champions of Europe begin with the toughest side of Group L, a clash against the team of 40-year-old veteran in Arlington, Texas, before facing the less-favoured Ghana and Panama.
Thomas Tuchel’s selection choices have already sparked controversy ahead of the tournament, with debate over team composition and squad depth continuing to dominate headlines, but England arrive as one of the tournament’s genuine contenders, boasting a golden generation of attacking talent.
Croatia, meanwhile, continue to punch above their weight on the world stage, defying expectations for a nation of their size with a remarkable run to the 2018 World Cup final.
