England v Croatia – predictions and odds – 2026 World Cup (17 June 2026)

Last update at 16 June, 2026⏲️ Reading time: 2 minutes

England

Croatia

FIFA World Cup 2026, 21:00 @ 17.06.2026

England and Croatia, who faced each other in one of the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, meet at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas (United States) in one of the big matches of the opening day of the group stage of the 2026 World Cup. They are in Group L alongside Ghana and Panama, so the winner of this match will have a strong chance of finishing top of the group.

An exciting clash is expected given the high quality of both sides. With players such as Harry Kane and Luka Modric, it’s hard not to expect some stunning moments. Croatia’s disadvantage is that they are in the twilight of the golden generation that reached the final eight years ago, whilst the English continue to produce talent and arrive at the World Cup with the clear intention of going far and competing as hard as possible.

‘Final result’ prediction

Although Croatia can hold their own against anyone, England are the favourites for this first match of the 2026 World Cup between the two sides. With players such as Gordon, Saka and Bellingham supporting Harry Kane, alongside a midfield led by Declan Rice, the English have more depth across all lines than their Balkan counterparts. For that reason, I believe England will win this match.

‘Total goals’ prediction

As for the course of the match, a back-and-forth contest is expected, as these are two teams known for playing at a high tempo and adopting a very direct style. Furthermore, the Balkan side are not very reliable defensively, which Thomas Tuchel’s team can capitalise on. The German manager is a great tactician and knows his side can create plenty of chances. Therefore, the option of over 2.5 goals in the match is very attractive.

“Build Bet” Prediction

Following the line of thought above, let’s create our bet. In it, we’ll combine two options: that England win and that both teams score. With those two variables, we’ve already secured high odds, and there’s no need to add a third that wouldn’t add value to the bet but would add too much risk.

England to win

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Antxon PascualSports betting analyst

A journalist specialising in football, with cycling as another major sporting interest. With more than eight years of experience as a tipster, he combines journalistic analysis with practical betting knowledge. At BetBrothers he produces tips and sports content designed to provide clear, well-explained insights that readers can easily understand.