World Cup 2026: England eager to make a flying start against Croatia

World Cup 2026: England eager to make a flying start against Croatia England kick off their bid to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday with a tricky fixture against Croatia in Dallas. The Three Lions head into the tournament as one of the bookmakers’ favourites to lift the trophy, despite failing to achieve the feat since 1966. They won the World Cup on home soil on that occasion, but have repeatedly flattered to deceive in major tournaments since then. Fans inclined towards wagering can find the best World Cup betting odds at oddschecker ahead of what promises to be a tough outing for England. The bookies rate them as 3/4 shots to win the game, while Croatia are 17/4. The draw is priced at 29/10, which could be the value bet. Read on as we preview England’s opening fixture. Cautious Tuchel may regret squad omissions England manager Thomas Tuchel’s squad selection raised plenty of eyebrows, with several hugely talented players left at home this summer. Harry Maguire, Morgan Gibbs-White, Cole Palmer and Phil Foden are amongst a group of top Premier League stars who missed out on the 26-man line-up. However, Tuchel’s decision to take Jordan Henderson to the tournament instead of Adam Wharton was undoubtedly his most controversial choice. Henderson has been taken to North America because he is ‘good in the dressing room’ rather than anything he has achieved on the pitch in recent years. By contrast, Wharton has established himself as one of the best midfielders in England, helping Crystal Palace win two major trophies in the last two seasons. Tuchel has ultimately favoured functionality over creativity in the middle of the park and that decision could come back to haunt him as the tournament progresses. While England are rated as the favourites to win Group L, it would be a brave move to confidently predict they will get the job done. Croatia have previously caused problems in recent England fixtures , most notably when they triumphed 2-1 in the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. The Three Lions have won two and drawn one of their three meetings since then, but there was little to choose between the teams in those matches. Modric may show England what they are missing Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson will start in central midfield against Croatia. Neither player boasts the ‘wow factor’ needed to win a World Cup. They will be tasked with stopping Luka Modric from weaving his magic. However, keeping the 40-year-old quiet will be easier said than done. In some respects, Modric bears similarities to Wharton. They both spot passes that other players don’t see and have the ability to effortlessly run games. By contrast, Rice and Anderson are willing workers. With temperatures likely to be off the scale in Dallas, they could end up chasing shadows. Modric handed England a reminder of his talent in a recent friendly victory over Slovenia , scoring a superb goal past Jan Oblak just after half-time. He looked sharper than anyone else on the pitch, with his ability to control tempo still clear to see despite his advancing years. If Modric were English, people would be focusing on what he cannot do rather than what he brings to the table. Tuchel has made that mistake with Wharton. A late-season lay-off has ensured that Modric will be fresh for the World Cup, which makes him a dangerous proposition for England. Modric has helped Croatia finish second and third at the last two World Cups. With him in the team, another deep run is a distinct possibility.