The World Cup 2026 Group L opener sees England and Croatia meet in a heavyweight clash at Dallas Stadium on 17 June. Both sides view this as a pivotal early test in a group completed by Ghana and Panama, where momentum could be decisive.
England, now managed by Thomas Tuchel, has developed into a structured and defensively solid unit since he arrived in 2025. Croatia, under Zlatko Dalić, arrive in strong form after an unbeaten qualifying campaign, reinforcing their status as one of the most reliable tournament teams in recent years.
Have a read of our England vs Croatia prediction before you decide on your bet.
England vs Croatia prediction for the 2026 World Cup
Both sides are kicking off their 2026 World Cup campaign in this tie. We weighed up the history, squad depth and current form of each nation before settling on our prediction.
Here is the bet we recommend:
BTTS - No
Who are the favourites?
Based on the leading UK-licensed bookmakers, England is tipped to come out on top, with 55% of the odds leaning towards their win.
Looking for more? Browse all the World Cup odds and dig into this and other ties from the planet's biggest football tournament.
England hold the head-to-head edge
England comes out ahead in the record against Croatia.
Across 4 meeting(s), the breakdown reads:
England: 2 win(s)
Croatia: 1 win(s)
Draws: 1
At the 2026 World Cup, that head-to-head edge is one more thing to factor into the England vs Croatia prediction.
England: opening the 2026 World Cup
England make their FIFA World Cup bow having already logged 12 match(es) in 2026 in the build-up. Here is how they have fared:
10 win(s), 1 draw(s) and 1 loss(es)
27 goals scored (2.25 per game)
2 goals conceded (0.17 per game)
Players to watch for England National Team
Leading scorer: Harry Kane with 8 goal(s)
Most assists: Declan Rice with 4
Croatia: opening the 2026 World Cup
Croatia step out at the FIFA World Cup for the first time this edition after 12 match(es) in 2026.
Here is the Croatia National Team record:
This year so far
9 win(s), 1 draw(s) and 2 loss(es)
31 goals scored (2.58 per game)
11 goals conceded (0.92 per game)
Players to watch for Croatia National Team
Leading scorer: Andrej Kramarić with 6 goal(s)
Most assists: Ivan Perišić with 4
England vs Croatia statistics at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Before you stake anything, look over the side-by-side comparison that sheds light on each nation's current form for this World Cup tie:
England
International - World Cup
Croatia
International - World Cup
England vs Croatia probable lineups
See the likely starting elevens below for our England vs Croatia prediction at the 2026 World Cup.
England: Pickford, James, Stones, Guéhi, O'Reilly, Rice, Anderson, Saka, Bellingham, Gordon, Kane.
Croatia: Livaković, Stanišić, Erlić, Pongračić, Gvardiol, Modrić, Kovačić, Pašalić, Baturina, Perišić, Kramarić.
How to watch England vs Croatia live in the UK
Find out below where you can catch England vs Croatia live during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Just remember, kick-off is at 21:00 UK time.
For the full schedule, check our our World Cup live streaming page.
More betting tips for this match
Alongside the main tip given at the top of this article, here are some other strong bets for England vs Croatia:
Further 2026 World Cup predictions
Browse all of our 2026 FIFA World Cup predictions and keep up with the sharpest analysis from start to finish of the tournament.
Match details: England vs Croatia
🆚 Fixture England vs Croatia
🏆 Tournament 2026 FIFA World Cup
📅 Date Wednesday, 17/06/2026
🕐 Kick-off 21:00 UK time
🏟️ Venue Dallas Stadium
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Sports betting analyst with over 15 years of experience. At APWin, he writes football predictions, reviews bookmakers and explains the reasoning behind every bet.