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England Favored Over Croatia in Dallas World Cup Clash

6/17/2026

Summary

England vs Croatia

England will face Croatia in a 2026 World Cup group match in Dallas at 4 p.m. ET Wednesday.
England are No. 4 while Croatia are No. 11, having reached the last-16 in the past two tournaments, with Croatia as Qatar 2022 runners-up.
FanDuel odds list England –145, Croatia +440, under-2.5 total –130.
Jon Eimer backs under-2.5 line, noting England’s last three-goal win was 3-0 over Costa Rica on June 10, after a 5-0 win on Oct. 14.

Summary

Livramento Out

Defender Tino Livramento is out with a calf injury and replaced by Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah.
Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic warns his side about striker Harry Kane, who scored 61 goals last season.
French referee Clément Turpin will officiate the Group L match, advancing the top two teams and the eight best third-placed sides to a round of 32.
It will be shown on FOX/Telemundo/Peacock (U.S.), ITV1/ITVX/STV (U.K.) and HRT (Croatia).

Summary

England Qualifies

England qualified for the 2026 World Cup by winning all eight Group K matches without conceding.
New manager Thomas Tuchel leads the side, marking a fresh era after recent final near-misses.
Betting markets list England at +700 and Harry Kane at +125 to score versus Croatia.
Croatia qualified by winning Group L, a feat for a nation under four million, after a résumé that includes 2018 runner-up, 2022 third place, and a 2023 Nations League final.

Summary

Bellingham dons 10

England’s creative midfielder Jude Bellingham will wear the No. 10 shirt for the Three Lions in the opening group match.
Croatia’s veteran core includes 40-year-old Luka Modric, 37-year-old Ivan Perišic, and 34-year-old Andrej Kramaric, raising stamina questions.
French fans gathered outside MetLife Stadium in New Jersey to debate the tournament favorite.
USA TODAY has deployed reporters to all 16 host cities across United States, Canada, and Mexico to cover the tournament.

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England vs Croatia

England will face Croatia in a 2026 World Cup group match in Dallas at 4 p.m. ET Wednesday.
England are No. 4 while Croatia are No. 11, having reached the last-16 in the past two tournaments, with Croatia as Qatar 2022 runners-up.
FanDuel odds list England –145, Croatia +440, under-2.5 total –130.
Jon Eimer backs under-2.5 line, noting England’s last three-goal win was 3-0 over Costa Rica on June 10, after a 5-0 win on Oct. 14.

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