FIFA WC: When and where to watch England vs Croatia; know all details
Arlington, June 17
England will kick off their World Cup journey with a blockbuster Group L encounter against Croatia at Dallas' AT&T Stadium, where two of Europe's heavyweights meet in one of the standout opening-round fixtures.
The Three Lions arrive in the United States after a dominant qualifying campaign under Thomas Tuchel, winning every match and remarkably keeping eight consecutive clean sheets. Despite that near-perfect run, back-to-back friendly defeats to Uruguay and Japan have slightly tempered the optimism surrounding England ahead of the tournament.
Croatia, meanwhile, once again head into a major competition with a reputation for thriving under pressure. Guided by Zlatko Dalic, the experienced side secured qualification by winning seven of their eight group matches and will be eager to make another deep World Cup run after reaching the semi-finals in each of the previous two editions.
Their dramatic extra-time triumph over England in the 2018 World Cup semi-final remains a defining moment between the two nations and adds extra intrigue to this latest meeting.
How to watch England vs Croatia live in India:
Live streaming and live telecast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 matches will be available on the Zee5 platform and app in India. A subscription will be needed.
Live telecast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be available on the Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2, and Unite8 Sports 2 HD TV channels in India.
Key details:
Date and kick-off time: Thursday, June 18, 01:30 AM IST
Venue: Dallas Stadium, Arlington
Referee: Clement Turpin
Squads:
England -
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford, Dean Henderson, James Trafford
Defenders: Ezri Konsa, Nico O'Reilly, John Stones, Marc Guéhi, Tino Livramento, Dan Burn, Reece James, Djed Spence, Jarell Quansah
Midfielders: Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson, Jude Bellingham, Jordan Henderson, Kobbie Mainoo, Morgan Rogers, Eberechi Eze
Forwards: Bukayo Saka, Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Gordon, Ollie Watkins, Noni Madueke, Ivan Toney
Croatia -
Goalkeepers: Dominik Livakovic, Ivor Pandur, Dominik Kotarski
Defenders: Josip Stanisic, Marin Pongracic, Josko Gvardiol, Duje Caleta-Car, Josip Sutalo, Luka Vuskovic, Martin Erlic
Midfielders: Nikola Moro, Mateo Kovacic, Luka Modric, Nikola Vlasic, Mario Pasalic, Martin Baturina, Petar Sucic, Kristijan Jakic, Toni Fruk, Luka Sucic
Forwards: Andrej Kramaric, Ante Budimir, Ivan Perisic, Igor Matanovic, Marco Pasalic, Petar Musa
— IANS
Reader Comments
That England defense is insane with eight clean sheets straight! But Croatia always finds a way in big tournaments. Modric is like fine wine - getting better with age. Can't wait to watch this one with my football club mates! 🏆
Tuchel has done wonders with the tactics, but those friendlies against Uruguay and Japan were concerning. The midfield battle between Bellingham and Kovacic will decide this one. India should take notes on how Croatia punches above its weight!
I'll never forget that 2018 semi-final - that extra-time goal by Mandzukic broke hearts in England! But this time England have more depth with Kane, Saka, and Rashford. The Croatian squad also looks solid with Gvardiol at the back. Going to be a cracker of a match at 1:30 AM! 🔥
The live telecast arrangement is confusing - Unite8 Sports channels? Never heard of them in India. But Zee5 should work. My only worry is, will the commentary be in Hindi? Otherwise my dad won't understand anything and I'll have to translate the whole match. 😅
Honestly, England's defense looks weak without a proper leader like Harry Maguire. Konsa and Guehi are good but Croatia's midfield will exploit that. And why is Jordan Henderson still in the squad? He's past his prime. Tuchel should have gone with younger players.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.