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England will face Croatia in an opening match in Group L of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 17, 2026 at the Dallas Stadium on FOX.
After falling short in the 2018 World Cup semi-finals, the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals and the 2024 European Championship final, The Three Lions enter a new era under new manager Thomas Tuchel with plenty of unfinished business.
England punched their ticket to the 2026 FIFA World Cup by topping UEFA Group K with a perfect campaign. They finished the qualifiers with a dominant 5-0 win over Latvia and finished eight games unbeaten without conceding a single goal.
England are among the tournament favorites at +700, behind only France and Spain.
Despite having a new manager, it will rely on the same core that has made them an international powerhouse, including Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice.
Having come close at several major stages, this group has yet to get over the line, with the men’s team still looking for its first major international title in 60 years.
Similarly, Croatia have made quite a bit of noise over the last two World Cups, establishing themselves as one of the most successful teams of the modern era.
They finished second in 2018 and followed it up with third in 2022. On top of that, they also reached the UEFA Nations League final in 2023. Even more impressively, Croatia has achieved this sustained success with a population of less than four million people.
Croatia secured their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup by finishing top of UEFA Group L and securing automatic qualification for the tournament.
Can they, like England, finally move past the near misses and heartbreaks to lift the trophy?
Let’s see the England vs Croatia Group L matchup odds at FanDuel Sportsbook on June 17.
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Harry Kane is +125 to score in England’s 2026 FIFA World Cup opener against Croatia. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images)
England vs Croatia Odds
Moneyline
- England: -140 (bet $10 to win $17.14 total)
- Croatia: +420 (bet $10 to win $52 total)
- Draw: +270 (bet $10 to win $37 total)
Spread
- England -0.5: -140 (bet $10 to win $17.14 total)
- Croatia +0.5: +115 (bet $10 to win $21.50 total)
Over/Under total odds: 2.5
- Over: +116 (bet $10 to win $21.60 total)
- Under: -142 (bet $10 to win $17.04 total)
England v Croatia Prediction, Pick
From FOX Sports Wagering Analyst, Chris ‘The Bear’ Fallica:
- A gritty, veteran-laden Croatia is back to make life miserable for England here. England’s Euro 2024 fixtures were bogs and I can’t imagine Thomas Tuchel’s presence will change that much. Head to the break straight and Harry Kane to the spot in the second half looks a likely recipe. Bet on a draw in the first half and under 2.5 goals to be scored.
How to watch England vs. Croatia
Let’s take a look at some other bets for the match.
Anytime goalscorer props
Draw No bet
- England: -390 (bet $10 to win $12.56 total)
- Croatia: +280 (bet $10 to win $38 total)
Both teams must score
- Yes: +108 (bet $10 to win $20.80 total)
- No: -130 (bet $10 to win $17.69 total)
