18 England debutants to wear special World Cup patches against Croatia in Group L opener

Eighteen England players will line up against Croatia in their World Cup 2026 Group L opener at Dallas Stadium wearing shirts visibly different from those of their more experienced team-mates, thanks to a new FIFA-sanctioned debut patch scheme.

FIFA has partnered with American collectables brand Topps to introduce a “World Cup Debut” patch — a gold-accented adhesive sticker bearing the words “DEBUT FIFA WORLD CUP” — which will be fixed to the lower right sleeve of any player making their first World Cup appearance, just before kick-off. The concept draws on a long tradition of debut-marking memorabilia in North American sports and was created specifically for this summer’s expanded 48-team tournament.

Immediately after the final whistle, the removable patches will be stripped from the match-worn jerseys and permanently embedded into limited-edition Topps trading cards available to fans and collectors.

The 18 England players set to wear the patch — should they take to the field against Croatia — are: Dean Henderson, James Trafford, Dan Burn, Marc Guehi, Reece James, Ezri Konsa, Trevoh Chalobah, Nico O’Reilly, Jarell Quansah, Djed Spence, Elliot Anderson, Kobbie Mainoo, Morgan Rogers, Eberechi Eze, Anthony Gordon, Noni Madueke, Ivan Toney and Ollie Watkins. Chelsea defender Chalobah is a late addition to the list after replacing the injured Tino Livramento in the squad.

The remaining eight members of Thomas Tuchel’s 26-man squad will wear standard shirts, having already appeared at a previous World Cup. That group comprises Harry Kane, Jordan Pickford, John Stones, Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Jordan Henderson and Marcus Rashford.

The Croatia fixture marks Tuchel’s first competitive match in charge of the Three Lions since taking over from Gareth Southgate. England’s second group game follows on 23 June against Ghana, with Panama completing the group-stage schedule.