England beat Croatia 4-2 in thrilling World Cup opener
Harry Kane’s first-half penalty and late goals from Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford carried England past Croatia 4-2, as Arlington and Dallas swelled with World Cup fans.
England turned a tense rematch into a six-goal showcase, beating Croatia 4-2 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and opening Group L with the kind of result that can expand a World Cup’s reach well beyond the stadium gates. Harry Kane scored twice, including a 12th-minute penalty, Jude Bellingham struck just after halftime and Marcus Rashford finished the job in the 85th minute.
Croatia made England work for it. Martin Baturina and Petar Musa answered with two goals of their own, keeping the match live through long stretches in front of a crowd that included supporters for both sides in clear numbers. But England kept finding the decisive moments, and the victory gave the national team a winning start to its World Cup campaign. FIFA said it was England’s third straight opening-match win at the tournament.
The setting gave the match extra weight. England and Croatia were meeting again after the 2018 World Cup semi-final in Russia, where Croatia won 2-1 after extra time and sent supporters spilling into public celebrations around places such as Hyde Park in London. That earlier result helped turn the rivalry into one with real memory attached, and the rematch in Arlington carried that history into the expanded 2026 schedule.
What stood out in North Texas was how quickly the game moved from a tournament fixture to a regional event. England fans gathered at watch parties in Dallas-area fan zones and in other cities, while Croatian supporters stayed visible inside the stadium as the lead changed hands and the goals kept coming. The atmosphere showed how a marquee opening can pull in not just traveling fans, but also a broader American audience looking for a high-drama entry point into the tournament.
For FIFA and the host market, that matters. A six-goal opener between two well-supported European national teams, staged in a major U.S. sports venue, created the kind of noise that helps the World Cup sell itself to casual viewers as much as to the traveling faithful. England left Arlington with three points and a statement start; the tournament left with another proof point that overseas fandom can fill American seats and make a host city feel like part of the global stage.
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