We’ve seen 42 nations in action already at this summer’s FIFA World Cup – but now it’s time for England.
The Three Lions face Croatia in the Group L opener, with the action getting underway at 21:00 BST.
The Dallas Stadium hosts this evening’s game.
This is one of the more tight-looking matches of Round 1, alongside Netherlands v Japan, Belgium v Egypt and Brazil v Morocco. Will it buck the trend of those games and present us with a winner?
- READ MORE:Â Fantasy FIFA World Cup 2026: How to make a substitution
- READ MORE:Â Fantasy FIFA World Cup 2026 captaincy: How + when to change
TEAM NEWS
Thomas Tuchel goes with the same team that started the pre-tournament friendly against Costa Rica.
In two of the more keenly contested positions, Jude Bellingham ($8.3m) and Anthony Gordon ($7.0m) get the nod over Morgan Rogers ($7.2m) and Marcus Rashford ($7.5m).
Noni Madueke ($6.1m) also starts ahead of club teammate Bukayo Saka ($9.5m), whose fitness has been managed since he joined the England camp.
At the rear, John Stones ($4.6m) and Ezri Konsa ($4.8m) are the centre-back pairing, so Marc Guehi ($5.1m) misses out.
Croatia boss Zlatko Dalic almost names the same team that he sent out to face Belgium in his country’s penultimate pre-World Cup kickabout.
There’s one change from that side, with Mario Pasalic ($6.4m) in for Mateo Kovacic ($6.0m).
Veteran attackers Ante Budimir ($6.8m) and Andrej Kramaric ($6.2m) have to make do with substitute roles, with Dalic opting for a younger frontline.
There’s still space for 40-year-old Luka Modric ($6.2m), however, who features in his fifth World Cup.
While every member of the sparingly owned Croatia squad qualifies for Scouting Bonus, a half-dozen England players (including the benched Guehi) are over the 5% threshold:
LINE-UPS
England XI: Pickford, James, Stones, Konsa, O’Reilly, Anderson, Rice, Madueke, Bellingham, Gordon, Kane.
Subs: Trafford, D Henderson, Burn, Eze, Guehi, J Henderson, Mainoo, Quansah, Rashford, Rogers, Saka, Spence, Toney, Watkins.
Croatia XI: Livakovic, Stanisic, Gvardiol, Sutalo, ‌Vuskovic, Perisic, ​Modric, Mario Pasalic, Baturina, Petar Sucic, Musa.
Subs: Kotarski, Pandur, Budimir, Caleta Car, Erlic, Fruk, Jakic, Kovacic, Kramaric, Matanovic, Moro, Marco Pasalic, Pongracic, Sucic, Vlasic.
