ARLINGTON, Texas — England opened its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a 4-2 victory over Croatia in a Group L match on June 17, with Harry Kane scoring twice as Thomas Tuchel’s side secured three points in its first game of the tournament. The match was played at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas, according to FIFA and match reports.
Kane gave England the lead from the penalty spot before adding a second goal later in the first half. Croatia responded on both occasions, with Martin Baturina and Petar Musa finding the net to send the teams into halftime level at 2-2, according to official match reports.
England regained control shortly after the break when Jude Bellingham scored in the opening minutes of the second half. Substitute Marcus Rashford added a fourth goal late in the match to seal the result for the 1966 world champions.
The fixture marked the opening World Cup match for both teams in Group L, which also includes Ghana and Panama. England entered the tournament under Tuchel, who is leading the national side in his first major international competition. Croatia, coached by Zlatko Dalić, arrived in the United States, Canada and Mexico tournament seeking another deep World Cup run after strong performances in recent editions.
After the match, Dalić criticized his team’s defending on set pieces, which played a significant role in England’s victory.
“It was the worst set-piece defending of my tenure,” Dalić said, according to Reuters. He said Croatia had prepared extensively for England’s aerial threat but failed to prevent key scoring opportunities.
Tuchel praised England captain Kane’s contribution. Speaking after the game, the England manager described the striker’s display as “a complete performance,” highlighting both his goals and overall leadership on the field, according to reports.
The result placed England in a strong position in Group L at the start of the group stage. Croatia, meanwhile, was left seeking points in its remaining matches to strengthen its chances of advancing to the knockout rounds. According to tournament schedules, England’s next group-stage match is against Ghana, while Croatia is scheduled to face Panama.
As of June 20, England remained among the early leaders in Group L following its opening victory, while Croatia continued preparations for its next World Cup fixture.
