England vs Croatia Prediction: World Cup 2026 Preview & Best Bets

Declan Ferris, Senior Editor

Last Updated: 14/06/2026

England vs Croatia | Group L, Matchday 7 | Wednesday 17 June 2026 | Kick-off: 21:00 BST | AT&T Stadium, Dallas (Arlington), USA | Live on ITV1 / ITVX

Group L standings: Croatia, England, Ghana and Panama all on 0 points ahead of matchday one.

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What’s at stake

England and Croatia meet in the opening Group L fixture knowing that a win would set the platform for a straightforward route to the round of 16. With Ghana and Panama making up the other half of the group, early points between the two European heavyweights carry extra weight: the loser faces pressure heading into the remaining two games, while the winner controls their own qualification destiny from the off.

Verdict

England, unbeaten through eight World Cup qualifiers without conceding a single goal, are the value pick at 4/5 to win this Group L opener against a Croatia side that lost back-to-back friendlies to Belgium and Brazil in the buildup. At those odds the price reflects the market’s caution, but Thomas Tuchel’s defensive structure and the firepower of Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham should be enough to edge a contest Croatia’s ageing legs may not survive over 90 minutes.

England vs Croatia Match Preview

This fixture carries history. England and Croatia have met at two previous World Cups: Croatia eliminated England in the 2018 semi-finals with a 2-1 extra-time win in Moscow, while England bounced back in the Euro 2020 group stage with a 1-0 victory at Wembley. The players on both sides know this is more than just another group opener.

England arrive in Dallas having cruised through UEFA qualifying with a perfect record, eight wins from eight, scoring 22 goals and conceding none. Thomas Tuchel has built a structured 4-2-3-1 shape around Declan Rice’s ball-winning and the creativity of Bellingham behind Kane. Croatia, meanwhile, are a side in transition: a final World Cup hurrah for Luka Modric and Ivan Perisic, but one still capable of controlling possession and punishing teams who press carelessly.

The contest is likely to be shaped in midfield, where Modric and Mateo Kovacic seek to slow the tempo against Rice and the relentless energy England can generate through Bellingham and Bukayo Saka. If England press high and win second balls, Croatia’s ageing centre of the pitch will be under sustained pressure. If Dalics side find the right moments to hold the ball and engage through their back line, they can frustrate.

Team Form

England’s last five results:

• Albania (A): Won 2-0 (World Cup qualification)
• Serbia (H): Won 2-0 (World Cup qualification)
• Japan (H): Lost 0-1 (Friendly)
• New Zealand (N): Won 1-0 (Friendly)
• Costa Rica (N): Won 3-0 (Friendly)

England’s qualification run was exceptional, but the 1-0 friendly home defeat to Japan in March 2026 was a reminder that complacency against organised opposition invites punishment. The pre-tournament friendlies since then, wins over New Zealand and Costa Rica, restored some confidence, and a 3-0 result against Costa Rica suggests the attacking unit is clicking.

Croatia’s last five results:

• Montenegro (A): Won 3-2 (World Cup qualification)
• Colombia (N): Won 2-1 (Friendly)
• Brazil (N): Lost 1-3 (Friendly)
• Belgium (H): Lost 0-2 (Friendly)
• Slovenia (H): Won 2-1 (Friendly)

Croatia’s recent form is mixed. Consecutive home losses to Belgium and Brazil ahead of the tournament raised questions about defensive solidity against quality opposition, though the final warm-up win over Slovenia offered a steadier note. Their qualifying record remained unbeaten, but the calibre of Group L qualifying opposition was modest compared to what England will bring in Dallas.

England vs Croatia Head to Head

England and Croatia have met 11 times in total, and the head-to-head record is tightly contested. England lead the overall series and have won their last two meetings, but Croatia’s victory in the one fixture that mattered most, the 2018 World Cup semi-final, looms large in English footballing memory.

At senior tournament level, Croatia beat England 2-1 after extra time in Moscow in 2018 to reach the World Cup Final, with Mario Mandzukic’s winner the decisive blow. England responded at UEFA Euro 2020, winning 1-0 at Wembley with a Raheem Sterling goal to open that group stage. The Nations League meetings in autumn 2018 split evenly, with a 0-0 in Croatia followed by a 2-1 England win at Wembley. Earlier World Cup qualifying clashes produced wide margins in both directions: England won 5-1 at Wembley in 2009 and 4-1 away in 2008, but lost 2-0 in Zagreb and 3-2 at home in Euro qualifying in 2006 and 2007 respectively.

The recent trajectory favours England, who have won three of the last four meetings. Croatia’s ability to raise their game for big occasions is well documented, but the current England squad is more settled tactically than the sides that suffered those earlier defeats.

Team News

England manager Thomas Tuchel has a full complement of 26 players available. Harry Kane leads the attack and remains both captain and principal goal threat, while Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka are expected to feature prominently from the start. Declan Rice anchors midfield, and Jordan Pickford, the squad’s most experienced goalkeeper with 83 caps, is the established first choice between the posts. Centre-back selection is likely to be one of Tuchel’s key decisions, with John Stones, Marc Guehi and Ezri Konsa competing for two starting berths.

Croatia’s headline concern is Luka Modric, who reportedly suffered a cheekbone fracture in the buildup to the tournament. Dalics has confirmed the captain in the squad, and he is expected to start, but his involvement adds a layer of uncertainty to Croatia’s midfield availability. Dominik Livakovic keeps goal, while Josko Gvardiol remains the defensive cornerstone. Andrej Kramaric and Modric have both been prominent scorers for Croatia in qualifying, and both are expected to feature from the off.

Predicted Lineups

England (4-2-3-1): Pickford; James, Stones, Guehi, O’Reilly; Rice, Mainoo; Saka, Bellingham, Rashford; Kane (c)

Croatia (4-2-3-1): Livakovic; Stanisic, Sutalo, Gvardiol, Erlić; Kovacic, M. Pasalic; Vlasic, Modric (c), Sucic; Kramaric

Predicted XI: squads to be confirmed.

Key Tactical Matchup

The duel between Declan Rice and Mateo Kovacic will likely define which team controls possession in the middle of the park. Rice, with 72 caps and 6 international goals, has matured into one of Europe’s most complete central midfielders, combining tenacious ball-winning with progressive distribution. Kovacic, 113-capped and a multiple Champions League winner with Manchester City, is Croatia’s primary press-resistant carrier. If England win that battle and prevent Croatia from building through Kovacic, Modric will be forced wider or deeper to receive, reducing his effectiveness as an attacking force. England’s qualifying record showed 22 goals and zero conceded in eight games, a platform built on exactly that kind of midfield dominance.

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England won all eight World Cup qualifying matches without conceding and carry superior depth across every line of the squad. Croatia’s friendly losses to Belgium and Brazil highlighted defensive vulnerabilities against technically advanced opposition, and England comfortably qualify on that measure. The best available price of 4/5 on an England win represents fair value for what is expected to be the standout side in Group L.

• England to win @ 4/5: Eight wins from eight in qualifying with 22 goals scored and none conceded; Croatia dropped consecutive friendlies before the tournament. Tuchel’s disciplined shape is hard to break down and England’s forward options are superior on paper.
• Under 2.5 goals @ 4/5: The last four meetings between these sides have produced two 1-0 results and a 0-0 alongside the dramatic 2-1 in 2018. Croatia set up to control and are unlikely to be expansive against England’s pressing structure. Under 2.5 goals is available at 4/5 and the historical pattern supports caution on total goals.
• Harry Kane to score anytime: Kane has 79 international goals in 113 caps and has been a consistent scorer throughout England’s qualifying campaign. Against a Croatia defence that leaked late goals to Montenegro (3-2) in qualifying and conceded twice to Belgium in a friendly, the Bayern Munich striker remains the most reliable single-player goal bet in this England squad.

Odds Across Operators

Current best available prices for England vs Croatia are shown below.

Odds sourced from leading operators and correct at time of publication. Prices may move before kick-off.

How to Watch and How to Bet

How to Watch

England vs Croatia kicks off at 21:00 BST on Wednesday 17 June 2026 and is live and free-to-air on ITV1 in the UK, with the full match also available to stream via ITVX for viewers who prefer to watch online or on mobile.

How to Bet

To get the best available prices on England vs Croatia, follow these steps with any licensed operator:

1. Open your chosen betting account or download the operator’s app.
2. Navigate to the football section and select World Cup 2026.
3. Find England vs Croatia under Group L or the June 17 date filter.
4. Select your preferred market: match result, goals, or a player scorer bet.
5. Check the price matches the best available figure before adding to your betslip.
6. Enter your stake and review the potential return shown on the betslip.
7. Confirm the bet and retain your bet reference number.
8. For bet builder or accumulator options, use the same fixture page to combine selections within a single market or across multiple games.

Responsible Gambling

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If you are concerned about your own gambling or that of someone you know, contact the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133. You must be 18 or over to bet. Please gamble responsibly.

Declan Ferris, Senior Editor

Declan Ferris grew up in Sheffield splitting his time between watching Wednesday at Hillsborough and grinding ranked queues on the family PC. That overlap between traditional sport and competitive gaming has shaped how he thinks about esports: the tactics, the team dynamics, the pressure of a big match moment. He brings a fan-first perspective to everything he covers, whether that is a major CS2 tournament final or a breakout Valorant roster making noise in the EMEA scene. Based in Manchester, Declan has been embedded in the UK esports community for years, attending LAN events, following grassroots circuits, and paying close attention to the structures that let players turn a passion into a career. He is particularly interested in how esports organisations are built and sustained, and what it takes for a team to compete consistently at the top level. When he is not writing, Declan follows football obsessively, coaches a Sunday league side in Salford, and maintains a probably unhealthy interest in draft strategy across multiple competitive titles. He believes the best esports coverage borrows the best instincts from sports journalism: context, accountability, and a genuine love of the game.

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