England opens World Cup with a commanding 4-2 victory over Croatia

England launched their World Cup 2026 campaign with a convincing 4-2 victory over Croatia in a lively encounter at Dallas's AT&T Stadium. The win positions England at the top of Group L, awaiting the result of the Ghana versus Panama match.

England took the lead in the ninth minute when Harry Kane converted a penalty after Noni Madueke was fouled. Although his initial spot-kick was saved by Dominik Livaković, the Croatian goalkeeper had advanced too early, prompting a successful retake by Kane. Croatia, however, fought back, with Martin Baturina leveling the score in the 36th minute with a powerful strike from the edge of the area. Just five minutes later, Kane restored England's advantage with a header, only for Petar Musa to equalize again for Croatia in first-half stoppage time.

The second half saw England regain the lead early through Jude Bellingham's close-range finish in the 47th minute. From that point, England dominated possession and created numerous scoring opportunities. Despite facing sustained pressure and a barrage of shots, Croatia's defense, marshaled by a strong performance from goalkeeper Livaković, held firm for a period. However, Marcus Rashford sealed England's victory in the final minutes with a well-placed shot, concluding a high-intensity match.

England's next fixture is against Ghana on Wednesday, June 23, while Croatia will face Panama on the same day. The outcome of the Ghana-Panama match will further shape the standings in Group L.