England versus Croatia
- Kick-off:
- Stadium: AT&T Stadium · Dallas, United States
England
England arrive at their 17th tournament — 1966 champions and lifelong nearly-men since — with the most stacked attacking unit in their history. Thomas Tuchel, the German tactician appointed in 2024 to replace Gareth Southgate, has rebuilt with a more aggressive identity. Harry Kane (Bayern Munich) leads the line as all-time top scorer; Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid) is the generational midfielder; Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Phil Foden (Manchester City) and Cole Palmer (Chelsea) provide creative width; Declan Rice (Arsenal) screens the back. The Euro 2024 final loss to Spain extended the trophy drought to 60 years. The window is now — Tuchel's job is to convert talent into results. Group L with Croatia, Ghana and Panama is winnable for first; anything short of the final feels like familiar failure.
Croatia
Croatia arrive at their seventh tournament — 2018 finalists, 2022 third-placed — with the Luka Modrić era at its absolute twilight. The Real Madrid legend, now 41, plays one final tournament; Mateo Kovačić (Manchester City), Marcelo Brozović (Al-Nassr), Andrej Kramarić (Hoffenheim) and Joško Gvardiol (Manchester City) form the core. Zlatko Dalić, who has overseen all three of Croatia's deep tournament runs, remains in charge. The Vatreni's recipe is unchanged: technical midfield dominance, defensive solidity, big-game mentality. Group L with England, Ghana and Panama is winnable for second; the round of 16 is the floor, the quarter-final realistic, and a third consecutive deep run not impossible. This is Modrić's farewell — and Croatia know how to honour their best.
AT&T Stadium
AT&T Stadium hosts nine matches in 2026, including a semi-final — the most of any host venue. Located in Arlington, Texas, between Dallas and Fort Worth, the venue opened in 2009 and seats 80,000 for football, expandable to over 100,000. Its retractable roof is the largest of its kind in the world and is decisive for North Texas summers, where afternoon temperatures regularly exceed 38°C (100°F). The roof is closed during midday matches and can be opened for evening kickoffs. The pitch has been converted to natural grass for the tournament from its standard artificial-turf NFL configuration. Home to the Dallas Cowboys, AT&T Stadium combines vast spectator capacity with climate control — likely the most operationally-flexible venue in the entire tournament.