- England vs Croatia lineups: Harry Kane is set to spearhead the Three Lions’ attack, while Modric will dictate proceedings in the heart of Croatia’s midfield.
- The match is set to kick off at 11:00 PM EAT at AT&T Stadium.
- Tuchel has opted for Madueke on the right wing, leaving Saka to wait for his 50th cap as he continues to manage a niggling Achilles issue.
Thomas Tuchel has stuck with the exact same starting eleven that featured against Costa Rica in the friendly, now tasked with facing recent rivals Croatia in the 2026 FIFA World Cup opener at AT&T Stadium tonight.
Over on the other side, Zlatko Dalic is leaning heavily on veteran savvy while blending in a wave of youthful energy, with the iconic Luka Modric dictating the tempo from the middle of the park.
Tuchel has opted for Noni Madueke on the right fwing, leaving Bukayo Saka to wait for his 50th cap as he manages a niggling Achilles issue.
ALSO READ: England vs Croatia prediction: World Cup 2026 preview, team news, lineups & h2h
Official England vs Croatia lineups
Meanwhile, Anthony Gordon gets the nod over Marcus Rashford on the left.
In central defence, Ezri Konsa partners John Stones, with Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson, and Jude Bellingham operating just ahead of them. Nico O’Reilly and Reece James provide the attacking thrust from full-back.
One decision was forced upon him, however, with Tino Livramento ruled out of the tournament on Tuesday due to a calf injury sustained in training.
Trevoh Chalobah will step in for the Newcastle right-back, though he won’t link up with the group until after the Croatia showdown and Chelsea teammate Reece James was always slated to start regardless.
- England Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Pickford; R. James, Konsa, Stones, O’Reilly; Anderson, Rice; Madueke, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane.
- Substitutes: Saka, Watkins, Toney, Rashford, Eze, Rogers, Mainoo, Henderson, Spence, Quansah, Burn, Guehi, D. Henderson (GK), Trafford (GK).
Croatia counter with a fluid 3-4-2-1 hybrid setup, featuring Dominik Livakovic between the sticks and a backline of Josip Stanisic, Luka Vuskovic, Josip Sutalo, and Josko Gvardiol.
Their world-class midfield engine is steered by Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic alongside Petar Sucic, while Martin Baturina and seasoned winger Ivan Perisic supply creativity out wide to feed target man Petar Musa up front.
- Croatia Starting XI (3-4-2-1): Livakovic; Sutalo, Vuskovic, Gvardiol; Stanisic, Modric, P. Sucic, Perisic; M. Pasalic, Baturina; Musa.’
- Substitutes: Kramaric, Matanovic, L. Sucic, Fruk, Vlasic, M. Pasalic, Kovacic, Jakic, Budimir, Moro, Erlic, Caleta-Car, Pongracic, Kotarski (GK), Pandur (GK).
Kicking off at 11 PM East African time, this clash carries serious weight, fueled by a fierce and tightly contested recent history.
It’s become a modern classic of sorts, most famously defined by Croatia’s dramatic extra-time victory over England in the 2018 World Cup semis, followed by the Three Lions’ revenge-fueled 1–0 win at Euro 2020.
Where to watch England vs Croatia in Kenya
In Kenya, you can catch the crucial Group K World Cup clash between England and Croatia live on SuperSport International (via DStv Channel 222) or on Azam TV Kenya through Azam Sports 2 HD and Azam Sports 4 HD.
Read more about other World Cup teams in 2026 below:
France national football team 2026
Morocco national football team 2026
Argentina national football team 2026
Mexico national football team 2026
Spain national football team 2026
Brazil national football team 2026