England’s World Cup 2026 campaign kicks off next Wednesday with a match against a familiar foe in Croatia.
The two European nations are part of Group L alongside Ghana and Panama.
Arlington, Texas and the iconic AT&T Stadium – home of NFL franchise the Dallas Cowboys – hosts what should be a fantastic contest.
With kick-off in the Texan heat fast approaching, we have previewed the game in full below, and as per usual you will find some sports betting tips featuring the latest World Cup odds.
And NetBet’s Bet Builder feature was designed to enhance games like this. Combine multiple markets into one wager, and play your way!
Where can I watch England vs Croatia in the UK?
England vs Croatia will be broadcast live on ITV1, with kick-off scheduled for 9pm UK time.
England vs Croatia Preview
Recent results
After cruising through their qualifying group with eight wins from eight, England drew 1-1 with Uruguay and then lost 1-0 to Japan in the March international break – both matches hosted at Wembley. However, Thomas Tuchel’s side followed up a 1-0 victory over New Zealand with a 3-0 triumph vs Costa Rica in the final preparations for this fixture.
Like England, Croatia went unbeaten in World Cup qualifying, finishing top of their group with seven wins from eight and 26 goals scored, impressive stuff. A 3-1 win over Colombia followed for Zlatko Dalic’s men, before back-to-back losses vs Brazil (3-1) and Belgium (0-2). But Croatia’s final warm-up match saw them claim a much-needed 2-1 victory over Slovenia.
Head-to-head record
England and Croatia have played each other 11 times, with the Three Lions winning on six occasions. However, the sole meeting on the World Cup stage went the way of Croatia, who won the 2018 semi-final 2-1 thanks to an extra-time strike from Mario Mandzukic.
The previous two encounters saw England win 2-1 in the inaugural edition of the Nations League and 1-0 at the delayed Euro 2020.
Team news
Bukayo Saka is a doubt here as he continues to nurse a niggling achilles injury, so Noni Madueke is likely to start. Tuchel then has to pick between Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers for the coveted No10 spot. Anthony Gordon appears to have done enough to feature on the left at the expense of Marcus Rashford, while John Stones’ impressive display vs Costa Rica should see him start at centre-back alongside Marc Guehi. The rest of the team pretty much picks itself.
Croatia’s squad features some old warhorses in Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic and Ivan Perisic, as well as two top-quality defenders in Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol and Bayern Munich’s Josip Stanisic. And Dalic has some fresh, youthful faces to call upon, namely Inter Milan midfielder Petar Sucic and teenage Tottenham centre-back Luka Vuskovic – who starred on loan at Hamburg in 2025-26.
England vs Croatia Odds
*All odds are subject to change
England are favourites to win the match at a price of 1.69. A victory for Croatia is at odds of 4.70, while the draw is 3.72.
England vs Croatia Betting Tips
Player to score or assist – Declan Rice @ 3.00
Rice opened the scoring for England vs Costa Rica, and looks ready to shine in a more forward-thinking midfield role on international duty thanks to the presence of Elliot Anderson. The Arsenal ace has nine goal contributions in his last 15 Three Lions appearances, while his set-piece responsibility and expert execution of the art only serve to enhance the appeal of the wager.
England to win to nil @ 2.55
After a mini blip in the March international break, England are back to keeping clean sheets. The Three Lions did not concede a single goal in qualifying, an impressive feat given eight matches were played. And Croatia are perhaps not the force of yesteryear, so while striker Ante Budimir scored 17 La Liga goals for Osasuna last season, we are backing England to win to nil.
Anytime goalscorer double chance – Anthony Gordon OR Harry Kane @ 1.77
Kane is England’s record scorer and biggest goal threat, while Gordon’s decent showing vs Costa Rica has put him in a great position to start on the left wing. So getting close to evens on just one of these two high-class operators to find the back of the net feels like a no-brainer. Gordon scored from the penalty spot on Wednesday evening, while Kane netted the winner vs New Zealand.
When you choose NetBet Sport, you can enjoy a whole range of top-quality sports and markets. Whatever you choose, always remember to bet responsibly. Here at NetBet, player wellbeing is our number one priority – check out our Responsible Gambling tips and tools page for more information. When the fun stops, stop.