England World Cup 2026 hero
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World Cup 2026 · Group L · FIFA #4

England

Coach
Thomas Tuchel
Captain
Harry Kane
Best finish
Champion
Appearances
17
Group
L
FIFA Rank
#4
Pot
1
Formation
4-2-3-1

Group L · Pre-tournament line

Sorted by Pot then FIFA ranking. Click any opponent for their team page.

# Team FIFA Pot
1 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England #4 1
2 🇭🇷 Croatia #11 2
3 🇵🇦 Panama #33 3
4 🇬🇭 Ghana #74 4

England's World Cup 2026 fixtures

All three group-stage matches with venue, kickoff time and broadcast routing.

Matchday 1 · 20:00 UTC
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England vs 🇭🇷 Croatia
Dallas Stadium (AT&T Stadium) · Arlington · capacity 80,000 · climate-controlled · city guide →
Broadcast: FOX · Telemundo (US) · See Croatia's team page →
Matchday 2 · 20:00 UTC
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England vs 🇬🇭 Ghana
Boston Stadium (Gillette Stadium) · Foxborough · capacity 65,000 · city guide →
Broadcast: FOX · Telemundo (US) · See Ghana's team page →
Matchday 3 · 21:00 UTC
🇵🇦 Panama vs 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England
New York New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium) · East Rutherford · capacity 82,500 · city guide →
Broadcast: FOX · Telemundo (US) · See Panama's team page →

Tactical snapshot

Formation
4-2-3-1 ↔ 4-3-3 with inverted full-back
Pivot
Declan Rice
Attacking focus
Jude Bellingham · Harry Kane
Identity
Tuchel's pressing identity grafted onto the Bellingham-Kane spine
Read the full England tactical preview →

England squad · 26

Provisional 2026 World Cup squad. Tap any player for their profile.

Thomas Tuchel
Head coach
Thomas Tuchel

German coach Thomas Tuchel was appointed England men's head coach in October 2024 and previously won the UEFA Champions League with Chelsea and domestic titles with Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich. Under Tuchel, England qualified for the 2026 World Cup with a perfect record, becoming the first European side to seal qualification and doing so without conceding a single goal.

Goalkeepers 3
Defenders 9
Midfielders 7
Forwards 7

England at the World Cup

First appearance Total appearances Best finish
1950 17 (incl. 2026) Champion (×1)

How to watch England

United States: FOX · Telemundo
Home market: BBC · ITV
For the full broadcast schedule see our Match Centre →.

Read more about England

England World Cup 2026 — FAQ

When does England play their first World Cup 2026 match?
England's tournament begins Jun 17, 2026 against Croatia at Dallas Stadium, Arlington (20:00 UTC).
Who is England's coach at World Cup 2026?
Thomas Tuchel.
What group is England in at the 2026 World Cup?
Group L with Croatia, Panama, Ghana.
What is England's FIFA ranking heading into the 2026 World Cup?
#4 in the April 2026 FIFA Men's World Ranking, drawn into Pot 1.
Has England ever reached a World Cup Champion?
England's best finish is Champion. They have appeared at 17 World Cups including 2026.
Who is England's captain at World Cup 2026?
Harry Kane.
Where can I watch England's World Cup 2026 matches?
FOX · Telemundo in the United States; BBC · ITV in England.

Other Group L teams