England face Croatia in World Cup 2026 Group L opener at Dallas's AT&T Stadium on June 17

Thomas Tuchel’s England will open their World Cup 2026 campaign against Croatia at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Wednesday June 17. The fixture repeats the 2018 Russia semi-final, in which Croatia eliminated England 2-1, making it a significant grudge match for the Three Lions.

England have recently relocated from Florida to Missouri, where they have established their base for at least the next three weeks. The squad endured a turbulent build-up after being robbed en route to Kansas City, losing a significant amount of inventory before the situation was resolved.

The Group L opener will be played at one of the tournament’s largest venues. England and Croatia have met three times in major international tournaments this century, with the overall head-to-head in England’s favour. The Three Lions have beaten Croatia twice at the UEFA European Championship, while Croatia hold a 1-0 lead in World Cup meetings.

England’s recent record in tournament openers offers some encouragement. Tuchel’s predecessors won four and drew three of the last eight World Cup opening games, with the only defeat coming at the 2014 edition in Brazil — a 2-1 loss to Italy in which Daniel Sturridge had given England an early lead.

In terms of overall World Cup pedigree, England hold a considerable edge, having appeared in 17 tournaments compared to Croatia’s seven. A strong start against a familiar opponent will be seen as essential if England are to build momentum in a competition they last reached the final of at Euro 2024.