Kane goal gives England laboured win over New Zealand in World Cup warm-up

Harry Kane’s goal was enough to give England a winning start to their 2026 World Cup preparations, though Thomas Tuchel’s side left plenty to be desired in a laboured victory over New Zealand at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, on Saturday 6 June.

The result ends a run that had seen England lose their previous outing against Japan in March, and offers Tuchel at least some momentum ahead of the tournament proper. New Zealand enter the World Cup as its lowest-ranked nation, which made the unconvincing nature of the Three Lions’ display all the more notable.

England are using a pre-tournament camp in Miami as their base for two warm-up fixtures before shifting to Kansas for the start of their World Cup campaign. The pitch in Tampa had already drawn concern in the build-up to the match, adding another layer of difficulty to what was always likely to be a functional rather than fluid evening.

Tuchel faces a series of selection decisions as he attempts to identify his best starting eleven ahead of England’s Group L opener against Croatia in Dallas in 11 days. With a lengthy domestic season behind his players, managing sharpness and fitness will be as important as tactical clarity in the coming days.

A second warm-up fixture against Costa Rica follows before England’s World Cup campaign begins in earnest. Tuchel’s squad are chasing an end to 60 years without a major international trophy — a weight that will only grow heavier as the tournament approaches.