England vs Croatia World Cup 2026 preview, team news and prediction

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England and Croatia face off in Dallas on Wednesday night in a Group L opener between two countries whose recent World Cup stories are tightly linked. The bookies have the Three Lions priced as the favourites at 8/11 with Betfred while Sky Bet are 4/1 on Croatia to win and a draw is 13/5 with Paddy Power .

Croatia’s extra-time win over England in the 2018 semi-final remains a landmark moment for both nations, but eight years on the picture has shifted. England head to Texas as one of the pre-tournament favourites after a perfect qualifying campaign under Thomas Tuchel, while Croatia arrive with an ageing core and a coach who has already hinted at a more conservative game plan. Below are our key stats, predictions and betting angles.

Tuchel has quickly turned England into one of the most structured teams in international football. The Three Lions won all eight qualifiers, scored 22 times and conceded none, putting together one of the strongest qualifying runs of any side.

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The 4-2-3-1 has become England’s settled shape. Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson anchor midfield and provide protection, giving Jude Bellingham license to operate between the lines. Bukayo Saka remains the main creator from wide areas, while Harry Kane comes into the tournament after the most productive club season of his career. England’s build-up included routine 3-0 wins over New Zealand and Costa Rica, with the only setback a 1-0 loss to Japan in an experimental friendly missing several regular starters.

Croatia, meanwhile, have consistently punched above their weight on the big stage, but there are growing signs this group is nearing the end of its cycle. Zlatko Dalić’s side came through qualifying unbeaten, although the level of opposition left questions about how they will cope against elite teams.

Dalić has also been clear about his intentions for this game. “We will certainly be tougher and more defensive against England, playing with more midfielders,” he said — a strong signal that Croatia’s priority is to stay in the contest and avoid defeat, rather than go toe-to-toe from the outset.

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Bukayo Saka has played down fitness worries, but Thomas Tuchel could still rotate, with Noni Madueke in contention to start on the right and Anthony Gordon expected to come in for Marcus Rashford. Jude Bellingham should get the nod over Morgan Rogers at No10, while Tuchel’s centre-back pairing remains unclear.

England were dealt a blow on Tuesday as Tino Livramento withdrew injured and was replaced by Trevoh Chalobah, though Reece James is still expected to start at right-back.

Croatia have a full squad available, including Luka Modric and Ivan Perisic after a strong season at PSV. Andrej Kramaric is also an option, but MLS-based Petar Musa is being tipped to lead the line. At the back, Luka Vuskovic could feature in a three alongside Josko Gvardiol.

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