England’s World Cup 2026 Campaign Begins Against Croatia

England’s wait is over. The World Cup 2026 campaign finally kicks off in Dallas, and fate has wasted no time digging up old wounds.

Group L opens with a rerun of that bruising semi-final from eight years ago: England against Croatia. Different stadium, different manager, different stakes. The emotional charge is the same.

Thomas Tuchel steps into his first World Cup match as England head coach with almost a full deck. Twenty-five of his 26-man squad are available; only Trevoh Chalobah, drafted in late as injury cover, misses out as he continues to build up fitness. It leaves Tuchel with options everywhere and one dilemma that will dominate the team sheet.

Key Decision: Bukayo Saka

Bukayo Saka.

The Arsenal winger remains the question mark over an otherwise settled side. England know what he gives them: direct running, incision from the right, a calmness in big moments that belies his age. They also know he is managing an injury and cannot be pushed recklessly. Tuchel must decide whether to unleash him from the start or hold him back, a weapon to be used once the game loosens and legs begin to tire in the Texas heat.

At least one decision is not up for debate. Harry Kane leads the line, as he always does. The captain walks into a tournament already shaped by its superstars; across the groups, the biggest names have stamped themselves on the early games. Kane now carries the responsibility to do the same, to set the tone for an England side that arrives with expectation, scars and a sense that this cycle has to deliver.

On the other side, Croatia look familiar and unfamiliar all at once. The core that shattered English hopes in Russia has largely broken up, the side refreshed and retooled. The aura of that run has faded; this is not quite the same snarling, streetwise unit that once dragged itself through extra time after extra time.

But one constant remains: Luka Modric, still the heartbeat of Croatia’s midfield, still dictating tempo, still the player England must find a way to disrupt. His presence alone ensures this is no gentle introduction for Tuchel’s men, even in a group that also includes Ghana and Panama.

For England, this is more than a group-stage opener. It is a measuring stick, a chance to see whether the scars of the past have hardened into resolve or linger as doubts beneath the surface.

Dallas will provide the heat. Croatia will provide the test. Tuchel and his players must provide the answer.