England kick off their World Cup campaign tonight with a stern test against Croatia as Thomas Tuchel dreams of ending the country’s 60-year wait for glory on the biggest stage.
The Three Lions go into their opener off the back of a bitter injury blow, with defender Tino Livramento ruled out of the entire tournament with a calf problem. Tuchel has called Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah as a surprise replacement, with Trent Alexander-Arnold snubbed.
But as Ballon d’Or-chasing Harry Kane begins his bid for the Golden Boot, 38-year-old Lionel Messi has set the bar for the World Cup after hitting a stunning hat-trick in Argentina’s 3-0 win over Algeria, equalling Miroslav Klose’s all-time goalscoring record of 16 at the tournament.
Elsewhere, Ghana saw their appeal over the decision to deny Thomas Partey entry into Canada rejected, meaning he will miss the country’s opener against Panama tonight.
Read MoreHow England plot to avenge years of heartbreak by Croatia in critical World Cup opener
Thomas Tuchel says World Cup opener against Croatia will ‘bring out the best’ in ‘brave’ England
How the World Cup’s great survivor Luka Modric and Croatia could torment England again
World Cup 2026 - live updates
- England kick off their World Cup campaign against Croatia tonight | Kick-off at 9pm BST, live on ITV1
- Three Lions dealt Tino Livramento injury blow with Thomas Tuchel explaining surprise call-up
- Lionel Messi equals World Cup all-time goalscoring record with stunning Argentina hat-trick
- Thomas Partey visa appeal rejected by Canada
- MIGUEL DELANEY: How England plot to avenge years of heartbreak by Croatia in critical World Cup opener
Harry Kane begins pursuit of Messi, Mbappe and the World Cup’s Golden Boot in the form of his life
10:48 , Lawrence Ostlere in DallasHarry Kane was sitting in a press conference ahead of England’s first World Cup game against Croatia just as Norway were wrapping up their 4-1 win over Iraq. Had he noticed Erling Haaland’s two goals? Had he seen Kylian Mbappe score twice too? Of course he had. The race for the Golden Boot has begun, as Kane is well aware of who he’s up against.
Kane was asked to name best strikers in the tournament, by a Swedish journalist fishing for a compliment after Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres both scored against Tunisia.
“If you look at the one playing right now, Erling, and Mbappe scoring a couple for France earlier, they’ve both had fantastic years as goalscorers and strikers, two of the top, top players,” Kane said. “They’ve obviously both started the tournament really well today, so yeah, apart from Sweden, I’ll probably vote with those two as two of the best in the World Cup.”
Harry Kane gets set to chase Messi, Mbappe and the World Cup’s Golden Boot
England vs Croatia: Predict the score!
10:40 , Will CastleMessi hailed after equalling Klose record
10:32 , Will Castle“I don’t have the words to describe Messi,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said. “For 20 years, he’s had us used to seeing things like this and he inspires everyone who watches him play.”
Messi added: “Everything I’m experiencing now is a bonus. I’ve been fortunate enough to achieve all my dreams — or even more than I ever dreamed of achieving — both professionally and personally.”
Speaking on the Argentina great, Algeria captain Aissa Mandi said: “What made the difference is that they have a player who is ruthless, almost every chance he gets ends up in the back of the net.
“He might be the best player of all time. His efficiency is formidable; we knew that. We tried to shut him down as much as possible, but it didn’t work – he was too good for us there.”
England fans embrace US culture during World Cup – by flocking to gun range
10:24 , Will CastleFootball fans in Texas for the World Cup have been embracing American gun culture, flocking to a Dallas shooting range for an experience “we don’t get in England”.
The DFW Gun Range and Academy in Dallas has hosted a “little conga line of multi-cultures”, with various teams’ fans visiting since the World Cup started.
Staff member Carlos Castaneda reported that visitor numbers have “kicked up” notably in the past two days, coinciding with the arrival of Three Lions supporters.
Matthew Connell, 28, from Preston, said that the shooting range was “packed with fellow England fans”.
England fans embrace US culture during World Cup – by flocking to gun range
Martinez on his way out of Portugal?
10:16 , Will CastleRoberto Martinez says reports that he will leave his role as Portugal head coach after the World Cup are “not news”.
A statement on Tuesday said Martinez and Portugal are “aligned” on being fully focused on the tournament in North America, amid reports the Spaniard will leave his post regardless of what happens at the finals.
“It’s not news,” he said.
“We’ve already talked a lot about this in Portugal. Here it may be different, but in Portugal we’ve already talked a lot about it.
“The focus is on continuing the work done for three-and-a-half years.
“When I arrived in Portugal, the focus was… trying to win everything every day, but the focus was on preparing for the World Cup. We’re already here, 40 games later, after winning the Nations League.
“The important thing is the World Cup. My contract ends after the World Cup, I don’t think that’s news. It’s a fact. It’s a fact, isn’t it… it’s not news.”
Fifa claims over one million fans have already attended World Cup games
10:08 , Will CastleMore than one million fans attended the opening 16 games at the World Cup in North America, according to Fifa.
Concerns over the pricing of tickets in the run-up to the finals appeared to be borne out by swathes of empty seats at the match between South Korea and the Czech Republic in Guadalajara last Thursday, and Saturday’s match between Qatar and Switzerland in the Bay Area in California.
However, Fifa says 1,028,429 fans were present at the matches up to and including Monday, with the stadiums 99.34 per cent full, according to its data.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino was pictured on his Instagram with the one millionth fan, Aaron Bren.
England fans take over Dallas
10:00 , Will Castle
How will England line up against Croatia in their 2026 World Cup opener?
09:52 , Lawrence OstlereThe wait is almost over. Eighteen months after he was unveiled as England manager, Thomas Tuchel will lead the Three Lions into the 2026 World Cup on Wednesday, with the express goal of “putting a second star on the shirt”. For fans, the extreme psychological sport that is watching England in a major tournament begins.
Qualification was perfect – no draws, no defeats, no goals conceded – but some of England’s friendly performances have been uninspiring and even at this late stage, there remain some questions over exactly who makes up England’s best XI as they prepare to face Croatia in Dallas.
Lawrence Ostlere takes you through how England will shape up against Croatia:
How will England line up against Croatia in their 2026 World Cup opener?
The old school trait turning Kylian Mbappe into Monsieur World Cup
09:45 , Richard Jolly in New YorkThere is something old-fashioned about a player defined by the World Cup. Kylian Mbappe can seem a face of sleek modernity, but perhaps he is a throwback footballer. The World Cup is his stage; perhaps no footballer for decades can say that to the same extent.
As Mbappe claimed France’s goalscoring record, and advanced past Pele and Just Fontaine’s totals in World Cups to draw level with Gerd Muller, Didier Deschamps talked of the global audience. Mbappe, he said, did not want to pass Olivier Giroud’s tally for Les Bleus in a friendly. He did it instead against Senegal in the World Cup, in the world’s most famous city. He can prosper when the eyes of the footballing planet are on one match, and one alone. And, in an ever more crowded fixture list, that is rarely the case. Mbappe started this tournament with a very different double of high class. “In this match with a global audience, he has a real aura,” noted Deschamps.
His aura, unlike his peers’, comes from such days. Some of the legends of earlier generations were defined more by World Cups. Santos and Napoli fans may disagree but Pele and Diego Maradona were. Paolo Rossi, Mario Kempes and Fontaine too. For audiences outside South America, Garrincha and Jairzinho were always going to be. For those outside England, Bobby Moore and Geoff Hurst are.
Then there is Mbappe; perhaps headed for a third World Cup final in a competition that is the ultimate, but not the constant in the conversation. For much of the time, it can seem the power dynamic between club and country has shifted decisively away from the international game. The Champions League has felt dominant in the age of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. The Ballons d’Or don’t always tend to be won by World Cup winners: Messi did in 2023, for the 2022 tournament, but before him Fabio Cannavaro had been the last to do that particular double.
The old school trait turning Kylian Mbappe into Monsieur World Cup
The route to the final England could take at World Cup 2026
09:35 , Will CastleGroup fixtures
17 June: England vs Croatia | AT&T Stadium, Arlington
23 June: England vs Ghana | Gillette Stadium, Foxborough
27 June: England vs Panama | MetLife Stadium, New Jersey
Round of 32
1 July: England v third-place finisher in Group E/H/I/J/K | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Round of 16
5 July: England vs Mexico | Estadio Azteca, Mexico City
Quarter-final
11 July: England vs Brazil | Hard Rock Stadium, Miami
Semi-final
15 July: England vs Argentina | Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta
Final:
19 July: England vs Spain | MetLife Stadium, New Jersey
Why did Tuchel pick Chalobah to replace Livramento?
09:28 , Will CastleThomas Tuchel explained his decision to call up Chelsea’s Trevoh Chalobah, a centre-back, to England’s 2026 World Cup squad following an injury to full-back Tino Livramento.
“Tino has an injury of four or five weeks which is unfortunately too long to reintegrate him into the squad,” Tuchel said.
“We called Trevoh Chalobah because it frees up Jarrell Quansah to play full-back on both sides, and Djed Spence can play full-back on both sides, so it gives us full coverage in defence.”
How the World Cup’s great survivor Luka Modric and Croatia could torment England again
09:15 , Richard JollyLuka Modric tends to swap shirts with an opponent after every international. It means he must need a very large wardrobe or plenty of frames. He will soon have a double century of shirts. There was, Modric said in his autobiography, only one Croatia game where he was determined not to trade the checkered kit with a member of the opposition team: against France, in 2018.
Croatia lost, but even getting there was an extraordinary achievement. Their population remains below four million, less than 0.05 of the world’s. But Modric took them to the 2018 World Cup final. He won the World Cup’s Golden Ball and then the Ballon d’Or, to follow his third consecutive Champions League with Real Madrid.
In an era of diminutive passers, Modric gained personal accolades that eluded even the Spanish technicians who won a World Cup. Modric got so close to emulating them, in part because of a rivalry that will be renewed now. Croatia face England in Dallas. Their only previous World Cup game was in Moscow, eight years ago, and in the semi-final.
How the World Cup’s great survivor Modric and Croatia could torment England again
Lionel Messi creates more history with Argentina after fabulous hat-trick reveals World Cup truth
09:04 , Jack RathbornLionel Messi and this love story with the World Cup endures. The game’s most beloved player, Argentina’s most famous son, provided another golden performance as his first-ever World Cup hat-trick propelled Argentina towards a fourth star.
It can be easy to forget the pain and sorrow experienced on this brilliant Argentine’s gripping journey, before that outpouring of jubilation and the destiny of Doha in 2022. But beyond Kylian Mbappe’s super-charged France and the mesmerising Lamine Yamal’s Spain, Argentina’s dream of back-to-back titles burnt bright in the night sky of Kansas City in a 3-0 victory over an Algeria side blinded by this iconic No 10’s light.
More history was made at a Fifa World Cup with this maiden treble in what is Messi’s sixth tournament. This was also a 61st hat-trick in a career that refuses to fizzle out. An Argentine side, that threatened to grow stale in the intervening years since that glorious penalty shoot-out victory over France, now has three points to start Group J thanks to their little magician.
Lionel Messi creates history with Argentina as hat-trick reveals World Cup truth
What is the early England vs Croatia team news
08:56 , Will CastleBukayo Saka is touch and go to prove his fitness to start, with Noni Madueke ready to deputise on the right. Trevoh Chalobah will not be involved after replacing the injured Tino Livramento but will be available for their next outing. All other squad members are fit - will Tuchel pick Bellingham or Morgan Rodgers in the No 10 and who out of Guehi, Stones and Konsa starts at centre back?
As it stands, Croatia boss Zlatko Dalic has a full bill of health, with all 26 players available for their opening game, including Manchester City duo Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic, who have endured injury-impacted seasons.
How England plot to avenge years of heartbreak by Croatia in critical World Cup opener
08:48 , Miguel Delaney in DallasIn the final hours before England’s opening World Cup match, Thomas Tuchel hasn’t felt the need for any extra rousing speech about what the competition is. The manager senses the right mood among the squad as it is.
“They know,” Tuchel says. “We all know, and I think you have to grow into a tournament. At the moment, I don’t feel that any emotional fuel is needed to make everyone clear what is happening. But at the moment I see it even as an advantage that we’re focused on what we can actually influence. We don’t put it in the bigger picture - just put it where it is. We know,” he repeated.
Some of the players certainly know the challenge of Croatia. They’re all well aware of Luka Modric’s quality, of course, especially since he’s been central to three of four meetings between the sides since 2018.
How England plot to avenge years of heartbreak by Croatia in crucial World Cup opener
Everything you missed overnight: Austria deny Jordan debut point
08:40 , Will CastleAn own goal and a late Marko Arnautovic penalty denied Jordan a dream debut point as they fell short to Austria in their World Cup opener.
Romano Schmidt had given Austria the lead in the first half but that was cancelled out by Ali Olwan, who expertly bent home to score Jordan’s first ever goal at a World Cup finals.
But there was heartbreak to come for the debutants, with Yazan Al Arab putting into his own net with 14 minutes to play to give Austria a lifeline, before Arnautovic converted from the spot with the last kick of the game to seal the win.
Everything you missed overnight: Haaland scores double on near-perfect World Cup debut
08:32 , Will CastleHaving seen Kylian Mbappe run riot against Senegal, this generation’s other star striker clearly thought ‘anything you can do, I can do better’. Making his World Cup debut, Erling Haaland scored twice in the first half as Norway beat a spirited Iraqi side 4-1 to end the first matchday top of Group I.
The 25-year-old is already Norway’s record goalscorer, now with 57 goals in 51 caps, and it looks like as well as duelling for top spot in Group I, he and Mbappe will be fighting for the tournament’s Golden Boot.
He only had 11 touches in the first half - the fewest of any player on the pitch - but two of them were goals. The first was a tap-in from a Moller Wolfe cutback, with the second also coming at close range as the Manchester City striker closed down Iraq keeper Jalal Hassan, who dawdled on the ball after a poor backpass by Zaid Tahseen and paid the price.
He missed a second-half chance for a hat-trick, too, and was narrowly denied an assist as he headed the ball across goal for Kristian Thorstvedt to bundle home Norway’s fourth on the night - but the strike was marked down as an Aymen Hussein home goal.
Everything you missed overnight: Partey loses Canada visa appeal
08:24 , Will CastleThomas Partey will miss Ghana’s match against Panama after a Canadian court on Tuesday dismissed his appeal against being denied entry.
The 33-year-old had been refused a visa by the Canadian government last week, prompting his legal team to launch a last-minute challenge at the Federal Court in Ottawa.
The Black Stars play Panama in their Group L match in Toronto on Wednesday. In dismissing the appeal, judge Roger Lafreniere wrote that Partey sought "extraordinary, mandatory interlocutory relief" that would have required Canada to set aside a "lawfully rendered inadmissibility finding and facilitate his entry for a specific event."
Former Arsenal midfielder Partey denies seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault, relating to allegations by four different women between 2020 and 2022, and is due to stand trial next year.
Everything you missed overnight: Magic Messi equals Klose’s record
08:16 , Will CastleAlgeria were warned. A dainty pass slipped into the right side of the penalty area by Lautaro Martinez played Lionel Messi in on goal and he routinely found the back of the net by beating Luca Zidane on his near side. The crowd inside the Kansas City Stadium erupted in cheers only for the celebrations to get cut short as the football legend was ruled offside.
It was a chance taken just five minutes into Argentina’s World Cup opener and looked as though the 38-year-old had picked up exactly where he left off when winning the tournament four years ago. But it was not to be and Messi had to wait a further 12 minutes before making his mark on the 2026 edition of the World Cup.
Supplied by his close teammate Rodrigo de Paul, the little master spun towards goal before drawing a stunning effort from left-to-right, through the hands of Zidane and into the top, right corner with the pinpoint accuracy of his heydays. It is the type of goal that reminds the World Cup hopefuls that Messi may be heading into the twilight of his career but he retains all the prowess and skill of his younger self and, perhaps most importantly, the desire to achieve wonders on the biggest stage of all.
A second goal of the game caame from a fortuitous tap-in before a slick move late in the second half set him up for a driving finish that takes him to 16 goals across his six World Cup tournaments. That puts him level with record holder Miroslav Klose who he will surely surpass before this tournament is done.
Everything you missed overnight: Injured Livramento replaced by Chalobah
08:08 , Will CastleTrevoh Chalobah has been called up to replace the injured Tino Livramento in England’s World Cup squad.
Livramento’s calf injury is an early blow for Thomas Tuchel’s preparations for the tournament, coming just one day before the Three Lions’ opener against Croatia in Dallas on Wednesday.
Tuchel was able to replace Newcastle full-back Livramento in the squad with a deadline of 9pm BST on Tuesday – 24 hours before England’s first game of the tournament – and Chelsea defender Chalobah was on his way to the United States on Tuesday. Chalobah will not be involved against Croatia, but will be available for subsequent group matches against Ghana and Panama.
Everything you missed overnight: Mbappe double follows first major VAR controversy
08:00 , Will CastleWhile Kylian Mbappe became France’s all-time record goalscorer with his double in New Jersey, taking France to victory against Senegal, a decision not to award him a penalty when the match remained scoreless was questioned by many - including several referees themselves, according to the BBC’s resident official Darren Cann.
Iranian-Australian referee Alireza Faghani initially gave a corner – and then changed his decision to a goal-kick after watching replays. Mbappe had dribbled into the box where Senegal’s Sadio Mane slid in to make a tackle. As Mane reached Mbappe, the France captain touched the ball away from his opponent and then collapsed in a heap under Mane’s challenge.
Referee Faghani was sent to review the decision on his pitchside monitor by his VAR, and as he stepped back on to the pitch, French players and coaching staff began to celebrate. But instead of awarding a penalty, Faghani announced: “The attacker initiated the contact.”
When is England v Croatia?
07:52 , Will CastleEngland face Croatia at 9pm BST on Wednesday 17 June (3pm CT) at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas.
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the UK can watch the match free-to-air on ITV 1, ITV X, STV and STV Player with coverage starting at 8pm BST. It can also be live streamed on ITVX.
Good morning!
07:46 , Will CastleHello there and welcome to The Independent’s live blog for all things World Cup - it’s England opener day!
Settle in and start getting your hopes up as we bring you all the latest in the build-up to the Croatia clash in Dallas.
