England meets Croatia in World Cup opener as U.S. security incidents shadow team

England and Croatia will face each other in the opening Group L match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at AT&T Stadium in Dallas on 17 June. England arrived in the United States amid heightened pressure and a series of off‑field disruptions: a shooting near their Missouri training base, a 6.1‑magnitude earthquake in Florida, heat‑related burns among players, the theft of boots and equipment, their team chef being denied entry on a knife‑policy issue, and a tornado warning over Kansas City. These incidents forced heightened security measures and adjustments to the squad’s routine.

Croatia entered the tournament after a 2‑1 win over Slovenia, with Luka Modrić and Mario Pašalić among the scorers. Both sides have announced probable line‑ups, with England likely fielding Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka, while Croatia may line up Luka Modrić alongside Dominik Livaković in goal. The match will also be broadcast across Chile, with details on TV and streaming platforms provided for local fans.