England meet Croatia in World Cup opener, Ghana face test against improved Panama

England begin their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign against Croatia in Arlington, Texas on Wednesday, a heavyweight Group L opener that could set the tone for both teams’ tournament ambitions.

With Ghana and Panama also in the group, the early meeting between its two standout sides carries immediate significance. Victory would hand the winner control from the outset, while defeat risks placing early pressure on qualification hopes.

The fixture also arrives with a familiar narrative.

Croatia’s extra-time victory over England in the 2018 semi-finals remains a defining moment in recent tournament history, and although both squads have evolved, the psychological edge of that night still lingers.

England come into the tournament among the favourites, having cruised through qualifying with a perfect record and no goals conceded.

Under Thomas Tuchel, they appear more structured and tactically disciplined, built around a core that includes Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka.

Midfielder Jordan Henderson believes the team’s strength lies beyond individual quality.

Asked what makes this group special, Henderson, who turns 36 on the day of the game, said: “Being together, of course, because there will be tough moments in tournaments, especially in the World Cup.

“It’s never going to go your way all the time. There’s going to be tough moments where you have to dig in, and the closer you are together as a group, the easier that’ll be.

“I feel like we’re in a good place. It’s just about getting that first game going and for us it’s about showing everyone in the world how good we can be.”

Tuchel’s main dilemmas centre on selection rather than fitness, with competition for places in midfield, defence and the No 10 role where Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers are vying for the position underlining the depth at his disposal ahead of the opener.

Croatia, however, remain one of international football’s most resilient tournament teams. Unbeaten in qualifying — they dropped points in a draw with the Czech Republic — and built around the enduring presence of 40-year-old Luka Modric, they combine experience with tactical discipline and are rarely overawed on the big stage.

For England, the opener offers a chance to underline their status as contenders. For Croatia, it is another opportunity to defy expectations. For both, it is a first test that could resonate far beyond the opening 90 minutes.

Ghana kick off their Group L campaign seeking to regain their prowess as a globally competitive soccer nation, with their opening test coming on Wednesday (early hours of Thursday, SA time) against a Panama side eager for their first-ever win in the tournament.

But the Black Stars were dealt an early blow after midfielder Thomas Partey’s visa application to enter Canada was refused, leaving him unavailable for the Group L match at Toronto Stadium.

Ghana sit 73rd in FIFA rankings after a stretch of poor showings that included their failure to qualify for last year’s Africa Cup of Nations, though they topped their World Cup qualifying group.

The four-time Africa Cup of Nations champions have tapped veteran Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz to help turn the tide and guide the country to the knockout stage for the first time since 2010, when they bowed out in the quarterfinals after a penalty shootout loss to Uruguay.

Queiroz has plenty of individual talent at his disposal but has had limited time to get his squad ready since taking the job in April.

With the team’s talisman Mohammed Kudus missing the World Cup due to injury, Ghana will count on Manchester City forward Antoine Semenyo to lead a strong attack. After signing with the club in January, the 26-year-old netted 11 goals across all competitions, including the winner against Chelsea in the FA Cup final.

“Everything is possible when you have such wonderful ammunition in your hands,” Queiroz said of his players after the team arrived in Rhode Island last week.

Panama are making their second World Cup appearance after showing great improvement under coach Thomas Christiansen. Since taking the reins in July 2020, the 53-year-old Dane has helped the country climb the rankings from 81st to 34th.

They finished runners-up to Mexico in last year’s Concacaf Nations League after beating the US in the semifinals.

In Group K on Wednesday, Portugal’s latest bid for World Cup glory begins in Houston when they take on a Democratic Republic of Congo appearing at their first global finals in 52 years.

DR Congo played as Zaire when they took part in the 1974 World Cup but lost all three games, conceded 14 goals and scored none. They are unlikely to be so poor again.

Portugal have 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo aiming to win one of the last remaining pieces of major silverware to have eluded him in his illustrious career.

They exited in the quarterfinals at the hands of another African side, Morocco, at the 2022 finals, while their best finish is third in 1966.

We have to approach every game as if it were a final, because in theory there may be teams that look weaker, maybe on paper, but then on the field, it’s a match, and in a match anything can happen

—  Portugal defender Matheus Nunes

“We know the World Cup is a fast competition,” Portugal defender Matheus Nunes said. “There are only eight games, and when we play against all these national teams, I think they all have a lot of quality nowadays.

“We have to approach every game as if it were a final, because in theory there may be teams that look weaker, maybe on paper, but then on the field, it’s a match, and in a match anything can happen.”

Portugal defender Ruben Dias trained separately from the rest of the squad on Monday for undisclosed reasons.

Portugal are unbeaten in their last five World Cup group-stage matches against African opponents, recording four wins and a draw since a 3-1 loss to Morocco in 1986.

DRC have had a disrupted build-up to the tournament due to the Ebola virus outbreak back home.

The majority of their players are based in Europe and none play for clubs in the DRC, but were subjected to a 21-day stay in camp in Belgium and Spain before being allowed to enter the US.

In Group K’s other Wednesday fixture (eraly hours of Thursday in SA), Uzbekistan step onto the World Cup stage for the first time when they face Colombia, a meeting between debutants guided by one of the game’s most decorated defenders and a South American side looking to make up for lost time.

For Uzbekistan, Wednesday’s match represents the biggest moment in the country’s football history.

After years of near misses in Asian qualifying, they finally secured a place at the finals by finishing second in their Asian qualifying group, becoming one of the stories of the expanded 2026 World Cup.

Their historic debut also has an intriguing subplot on the touchline.

Fabio Cannavaro, Italy’s 2006 World Cup-winning captain and former Ballon d’Or winner, coaches Uzbekistan, bringing an elite tournament pedigree to a squad lacking international experience.

Colombia, by contrast, return to the World Cup with a point to prove after missing out on Qatar 2022, a failure that forced a reset for one of South America’s most talented sides.

Under Nestor Lorenzo, Colombia have regained confidence and consistency.

Coming World Cup fixtures

Tuesday:

• Group I: France v Senegal, New Jersey (9pm)

Wednesday:

• Group I: Iraq v Norway, Boston (12am)
• Group J: Argentina v Algeria, Kansas City (3am)
• Group J: Austria v Jordan, San Francisco (6am)
• Group K: Portugal v DR Congo, Houston (7pm)
• Group L: England v Croatia, Dallas (10pm)

Thursday:

• Group L: Ghana v Panama, Toronto (1am)
• Group K: Uzbekistan v Colombia, Mexico City (4am)

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