World Cup · Group Stage - 1
England
CroatiaWed, 17 Jun 2026 · 20:00 · AT&T Stadium
At a glance
England form
Croatia form
H2H last 4
for England
Outcome Probabilities
Market Edge
Model sees no edge at current market odds.
Market: — · Sharp consensus (Pinnacle, Bet365, Betfair) · Snapshot 11h ago · Not real-time
AI Analysis
This is a World Cup Group Stage opener between England and Croatia, played at AT&T Stadium on a neutral venue with no host nation advantage for either side. Both teams are treated on equal footing from a venue perspective.
Sporting Outlook
England enter as the higher-ranked side, sitting fourth in the world, with Croatia ranked eleventh. The points gap between them is meaningful — roughly 112 points — which places England in the clear favourite bracket by FIFA ranking standards, though not in the dominant class-difference territory.
The head-to-head record across the last four meetings is evenly split: England have won two, Croatia one, with one draw. Notably, Croatia's win came in the 2018 World Cup semi-final, while England's two victories came in the 2021 Euros group stage and the 2018 Nations League. There is no strong pattern of one side consistently dominating the other in competitive settings.
England's recent form is entirely made up of pre-tournament friendlies, which limits how much weight they can carry. They beat Costa Rica 3-0 with eight shots on target and dominated possession at 81%, and edged New Zealand 1-0 in a less convincing performance. More concerning was a 1-0 home loss to Japan and a 1-1 draw with Uruguay — both sides ranked in the mid-teens globally — suggesting England can be vulnerable against organised, quality opposition. Their possession numbers are consistently high, but the output against better opponents has been modest.
Members only
Read the full analysis
Plus unlimited AI chat — ask about lineups, injuries, and market angles. Free 7-day trial, no card required.
Sign up free →Already a member? Sign in