When will England's first match at the 2026 World Cup take place?

 England will start their World Cup campaign in Dallas with a match against Croatia as Thomas Tuchel's side look to win trophies in North America this summer. The Three Lions enter the 48-team tournament as one of the favorites after qualifying for the championship unbeaten, as well as a very successful season for team captain and top scorer Harry Kane. England will face Croatia, Ghana and Panama in the group stage, but are planning a much deeper run in the tournament as they look to win their second international title in history, after runners-up at Euro 2020 and Euro 2024. England played Croatia in the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup, and their opponent today, who still have 40-year-old midfielder Luku Modric in their squad, have an excellent record in recent major tournaments. Tuchel's team will play their final friendly match against Costa Rica on the eve of the start of the World Cup and will be one of the last teams to begin their participation in this expanded tournament, almost a week after the opening match. **When will England's first match at the 2026 World Cup take place?** England will play Croatia on Wednesday, June 17. The game will take place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Start time is 4pm local time (9pm BST). In the UK, the match will be broadcast on ITV 1 and ITV X. **England's 2026 World Cup fixtures:** June 17: England – Croatia | AT&T Stadium, Arlington – 16:00 ET / 21:00 BST June 23: England – Ghana | Gillette Stadium, Foxborough – 16:00 ET / 21:00 BST June 27: England – Panama | MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford – 17:00 ET / 22:00 BST