England begin their 2026 World Cup campaign in Arlington on Wednesday, opening Group L against Croatia at AT&T Stadium under manager Thomas Tuchel, with expectations and scrutiny following them across the Atlantic.
For England national football team, this tournament represents another attempt to end a 60-year wait for a senior global title, a drought that still defines every major cycle despite youth-level triumphs in recent years.
Their qualification campaign was flawless, finishing with eight wins and eight clean sheets to become the first UEFA side to secure a place at the 2026 finals.
But momentum has not been entirely stable. Mixed results in March friendlies against Uruguay and Japan, including a first-ever defeat to an Asian opponent, exposed some early uncertainty in Tuchel’s setup.
Even a late Harry Kane intervention against New Zealand did little to settle concerns, though a more settled lineup later eased past Costa Rica in their final warm-up.
