England face Croatia, Ghana and Panama in World Cup 2026 group stage under Tuchel

Thomas Tuchel’s England will open their World Cup 2026 group stage against Croatia at Arlington Stadium in Dallas on 17 June, with kick-off at 9pm UK time. The Three Lions enter the tournament as one of the favourites to lift the trophy for the first time since 1966.

The Croatia fixture immediately revives painful memories: the two nations met in the 2018 World Cup semi-final, where Zlatko Dalic’s side inflicted a 2-1 extra-time defeat on Gareth Southgate’s England. Tuchel’s squad will be hoping for a different outcome this time around.

England’s second group game brings a first-ever competitive meeting with Ghana, scheduled for 23 June at Foxborough Stadium in Boston, also kicking off at 9pm UK time. The third and final Group L fixture is a rematch with Panama — opponents England defeated comfortably in Russia in 2018, with Harry Kane starring in Nizhny Novgorod — at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on 27 June, with a 10pm kick-off.

England arrived in North America in good form, winning back-to-back Stateside friendlies against New Zealand (1-0) and Costa Rica (3-0) as preparation for the tournament.

Should Tuchel’s side top Group L, they would face the third-placed finisher from Groups E, H, I or J in the Round of 16 — groups that are expected to feature Germany, Spain, France, holders Argentina and Portugal among the frontrunners. A second-place finish would set up a last-16 tie against either the winners of Group A or the best third-placed team from Groups C, E, F, H or I.