England conclude their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday evening when they face Costa Rica in Orlando, aiming to build momentum and confidence ahead of their opening group-stage fixture.
The Three Lions head into this encounter following a narrow 1-0 victory over New Zealand, a performance that secured the result but did little to silence concerns about their attacking fluency.
Harry Kane once again proved decisive, scoring the winner to extend his remarkable international goalscoring record.
Thomas Tuchel has spent the recent international window experimenting with personnel and tactical setups, but this match is expected to provide a clearer indication of the team he intends to trust at the World Cup.
England remain one of the tournament favourites due to the quality available throughout the squad, yet they have struggled to consistently convert possession into goals in recent months.
Defensively, however, the Three Lions continue to impress. Their recent victories have largely been built on organisation and discipline at the back, with clean sheets becoming a recurring theme. Tuchel will be encouraged by that stability as England prepare for a challenging Group campaign.
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Costa Rica, meanwhile, arrive looking to restore confidence after a disappointing World Cup qualification campaign that saw them miss out on a fourth consecutive appearance at the tournament.
The Central Americans were unable to maintain their strong early qualifying form and ultimately fell short in the decisive stages. Their failure to qualify led to a managerial change, with former Venezuela coach Fernando Batista taking charge in an effort to rebuild the national side.
Results under Batista have been difficult so far. A draw against Jordan was followed by heavy defeats to Iran and Colombia, exposing defensive weaknesses and a lack of consistency throughout the team. Costa Rica have conceded 10 goals in their last three matches and will need significant improvement to compete against England.
Historically, Costa Rica held England to a goalless draw at the 2014 World Cup before suffering a 2-0 defeat in a 2018 friendly. While they have proven capable of frustrating the Three Lions in the past, current form suggests they face a difficult challenge.
What time does England vs Costa Rica start?
Kick-off is scheduled for 11:00PM EAT on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, at Exploria Stadium, Orlando, USA.
England vs Costa Rica team news
England have been boosted by the arrivals of several key players who were granted extended breaks following club commitments. Declan Rice, Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke are now available, with Rice and Saka expected to return directly to the starting lineup.
Jude Bellingham is also likely to feature from the outset as Tuchel moves closer to his preferred World Cup XI. Harry Kane should continue to lead the attack, while Reece James and Nico O’Reilly could be handed starting roles in defence.
Costa Rica will be without experienced forward Joel Campbell, who was not included in the squad. Much of their attacking responsibility will therefore fall on Manfred Ugalde, who remains their leading goalscoring threat.
The visitors are also missing Kenneth Vargas, Warren Madrigal and Alejandro Bran due to disciplinary issues, further limiting Batista’s options heading into the fixture.
Predicted lineups
England possible starting XI: Pickford; James, Stones, Guehi, O’Reilly; Anderson, Rice; Saka, Bellingham, Rashford; Kane
Costa Rica possible starting XI: Sequeira; Quiros, Mitchell, Faerron, Araya; Salazar, Flores; Mora, Soto, Alcocer; Ugalde
England vs Costa Rica head-to-head and current form
England and Costa Rica have met twice previously. Their first encounter ended in a 0-0 draw during the 2014 FIFA World Cup, while England secured a 2-0 victory in a friendly four years later.
The Three Lions enter this match in considerably stronger form, having maintained defensive solidity and continued to collect positive results despite questions surrounding their attacking output.
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Costa Rica, meanwhile, have endured a difficult run of matches and have struggled defensively against stronger opposition. Their recent performances have highlighted a lack of balance and consistency, particularly when facing teams capable of dominating possession.
England vs Costa Rica prediction
England are expected to take control of possession from the outset and should create significantly more opportunities than they managed against New Zealand, especially if Tuchel fields a near full-strength lineup.
Costa Rica are likely to defend deep and attempt to frustrate the Three Lions, but their recent defensive record suggests they may struggle to contain England’s attacking quality for the full 90 minutes.
With superior squad depth, greater individual quality and strong defensive organisation, England should finish their World Cup preparations with a comfortable victory.