Where to Watch England vs Croatia Tonight: Your complete guide
Looking for where to watch (or hear) England’s first World Cup 2026 match tonight? Here’s your complete guide…
- Match: England vs Croatia
- Competition: FIFA World Cup 2026 – Group L
- Date: Wednesday, 17 June 2026
- Kick-off: 9:00pm BST
- Venue: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
- Watch live: ITV1 and ITVX
- Stream on demand: ITVX after broadcast
- Radio commentary: talkSPORT
- England manager: Thomas Tuchel
- Croatia manager: Zlatko Dalić
England begin their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign tonight against familiar rivals Croatia in one of the tournament’s biggest early fixtures. The match marks the first World Cup meeting between the nations since Croatia’s dramatic 2-1 extra-time victory in the 2018 semi-final.
Where can you watch England vs Croatia tonight?
England vs Croatia is being shown live in the UK on ITV1, with free streaming available via ITVX. Coverage is expected to begin from 8:00pm BST, giving viewers a full hour of build-up before kick-off at 9:00pm BST.
Fans can also catch up after the final whistle through ITVX’s on-demand service, making it easy to watch highlights or the full replay later in the evening. ITV and the BBC share UK rights for the 2026 World Cup, with all matches available free-to-air.
Who are the ITV presenters and pundits?
ITV has assembled a star-studded World Cup team for coverage from the United States.
Presenters
- Mark Pougatch
- Laura Woods
- Semra Hunter
Pundits expected across the tournament
- Roy Keane
- Gary Neville
- Ian Wright
- Patrick Vieira
- Karen Carney
- Juan Mata
- Emma Hayes
- Ange Postecoglou
- Duncan Ferguson
- Jobi McAnuff
- Bradley Wright-Phillips
ITV’s World Cup coverage is being broadcast from studios in Brooklyn, New York.
While final line-ups can vary match by match, ITV’s biggest England fixtures have typically featured a combination of Neville, Keane and Wright.
Who are the commentators?
For England vs Croatia, commentary is expected to come from Jim Proudfoot, joined by former England defender Stuart Pearce on co-commentary duties.
Throughout the tournament, ITV’s commentary team also includes voices such as Jon Champion and Seb Hutchinson.
England team news
Thomas Tuchel begins his first World Cup as England manager with enormous expectations. The Three Lions arrived in North America after an impressive qualification campaign and warm-up victories over New Zealand and Costa Rica.
Captain Harry Kane is expected to lead the line, while Jude Bellingham is tipped to operate in an advanced midfield role. Bukayo Saka’s fitness had been monitored in the build-up, with Noni Madueke among the alternatives if required.
England’s likely stars include:
- Harry Kane
- Jude Bellingham
- Declan Rice
- Phil Foden
- Bukayo Saka
- Cole Palmer
- John Stones
- Reece James
Tuchel recently added Trevoh Chalobah to the squad following injury concerns elsewhere in defence.
Croatia team news
Croatia remain one of international football’s most experienced tournament sides. Manager Zlatko Dalić still relies on veteran midfield maestro Luka Modrić, who at 40 years old continues to pull the strings for his country.
Croatia’s likely key players include:
- Luka Modrić
- Mateo Kovačić
- Ivan Perišić
- Joško Gvardiol
- Andrej Kramarić
Despite an ageing core, Croatia’s tournament pedigree means England face one of their toughest group-stage tests.
Why this match matters
Group L contains England, Croatia, Ghana and Panama. A win tonight would immediately put England in control of qualification for the knockout rounds. England’s remaining group fixtures come against Ghana on 23 June and Panama on 27 June.
For many supporters, tonight’s game also carries emotional significance. Croatia ended England’s hopes in the 2018 World Cup semi-finals, and the Three Lions now have an opportunity for a measure of revenge on football’s biggest stage.
England vs Croatia: Quick viewing guide
TV channel: ITV1
Live stream: ITVX
On demand: ITVX catch-up
Kick-off: 9:00pm BST
Coverage starts: 8:00pm BST
Venue: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Radio: talkSPORT
England’s World Cup journey starts tonight — and millions across the UK will be tuning in to see whether Thomas Tuchel’s side can make the perfect start against old rivals Croatia.
