England and Croatia open Group L of the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a fixture carrying far more significance than a typical group-stage encounter. The clash reunites two nations whose recent World Cup histories have become closely intertwined, most notably through Croatia’s unforgettable extra-time victory in the 2018 semi-finals, a result that propelled the Balkan nation into its first World Cup final while extending England’s wait for a return to football’s biggest stage.

England arrive in the United States carrying substantial expectations. The 1966 world champions are making their 17th World Cup appearance and eighth consecutive qualification, having established themselves as one of the most consistent international sides of the past decade. Under new manager Thomas Tuchel, England became the first European nation to secure qualification for the 2026 tournament, winning all six matches in a group featuring Serbia, Albania, Latvia and Andorra while conceding no goals. The former Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain manager inherited a squad already rich with talent and has largely maintained the core that successfully navigated qualification.

Captain Harry Kane remains the focal point of England’s attack and is expected to start after another prolific season with Bayern Munich. Around him, Tuchel can call upon an enviable collection of attacking talent, including Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Anthony Gordon, Morgan Rogers and Declan Rice. England’s strength in depth has created selection dilemmas rather than injury concerns, reinforcing their status among the favourites to lift the trophy and end a 60-year wait for World Cup glory.

Croatia arrive with a different profile but an equally impressive tournament pedigree. Despite a population of less than four million, they have reached the World Cup final in 2018 and secured third place in 2022, establishing themselves as one of international football’s most resilient tournament teams. Zlatko Dalić, now approaching a decade in charge, guided Croatia through qualifying without defeat, recording seven wins and one draw while scoring 26 goals. Their attacking output included a 7-0 victory over Gibraltar and a 5-1 win over Czechia, with Andrej Kramarić finishing as the team’s leading scorer during qualification.

The enduring presence of 40-year-old Luka Modrić continues to define Croatia’s identity. The veteran midfielder enters his fifth World Cup with 19 tournament appearances already to his name, while experienced figures such as Ivan Perišić, Joško Gvardiol, Mateo Kovačić and Josip Stanišić provide a blend of leadership and quality around a newer generation featuring Martin Baturina and Petar Sučić.

With Ghana and Panama also competing in Group L, both England and Croatia recognise the value of beginning their campaign with three points. For England, victory would reinforce their credentials as genuine contenders. For Croatia, another positive result against elite opposition would further strengthen a remarkable World Cup legacy that continues to exceed expectations.