DALLAS — England opened its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign against Croatia in a Group L match at Dallas Stadium on Wednesday, reviving a rivalry that has featured prominently in recent international tournaments. The match marked the first group-stage fixture for both teams at the expanded 48-nation tournament being held across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
England, coached by Thomas Tuchel, entered the tournament after qualifying from UEFA Group K with a perfect record, while Croatia arrived unbeaten from its European qualifying group, according to FIFA and national team officials. The Group L lineup also includes Ghana and Panama.
The meeting renewed a competitive history between the two European sides. Croatia defeated England in the 2018 World Cup semi-finals in Russia, while England won their most recent major-tournament encounter, a group-stage match at UEFA Euro 2020. England’s Football Association says the teams had met 11 times before Wednesday’s contest, with England holding six victories, Croatia three and two matches ending in draws.
England captain Harry Kane led a squad featuring Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice and Jordan Pickford. Croatia was again captained by veteran midfielder Luka Modrić, making his fifth World Cup appearance and nearing 200 international caps, according to team lineups released before kickoff.
“European heavyweights England and Croatia begin their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaigns with this mouth-watering showdown,” FIFA said in a match preview published before the game.
Team selections attracted attention ahead of kickoff. England handed a starting role to winger Noni Madueke, while Croatia included Modrić in midfield and named experienced goalkeeper Dominik Livaković in the lineup. Reuters reported that several established players, including Bukayo Saka for England and Mateo Kovačić for Croatia, were not included in the starting elevens.
The match was scheduled for a 3 p.m. local kickoff in the Dallas area, corresponding to 9 p.m. in Britain and 10 p.m. in Croatia. It was one of four World Cup group-stage games played on Wednesday as all teams in the tournament began their campaigns.
As of the latest available information, the Group L encounter was underway or had recently concluded, with tournament organizers and participating teams preparing for their next group-stage matches against Ghana and Panama. Further details on the final result were not immediately available.
