England defeats Croatia 4-2 in World Cup 2026 opener

England opened their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a 4-2 victory over Croatia at the Dallas Stadium in Arlington. Harry Kane scored twice, converting a penalty after a retake and adding a second goal, giving him a World Cup record of five penalties scored in regular play. Jude Bellingham and substitute Marcus Rashford each added second‑half goals to secure the win.

The first half saw four goals, with Kane giving England the lead, Croatia equalising through Martin Baturina and later Petar Musa. England surged ahead again before halftime. In the second half, Bellingham drove into the box to score, and Rashford finished a counter‑attack to seal the result. The win puts England atop Group L.