England will aim to end 60 years' of hurt as they aim to end their wait for FIFA World Cup when they take the field in the USA. The Three Lions reached the semi-final in 2018 and quarter-final in 2022 and will hope to go the distance. England are amongst favourites but face a tricky group including Ghana and Croatia.
England comfortably topped their qualifying group, becoming the first European nation to secure a place at the World Cup. However, underwhelming displays in recent friendlies, including defeats to Senegal and Japan, have raised concerns among supporters. Much will depend on the performances of key stars such as Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane as England seek to rediscover their best form.
Harry Kane & Co face tough group
Group L presents a challenging route into the knockout stages. England begin with a high-profile clash against Croatia, the side that ended their dreams in the 2018 World Cup semifinal. They then face an improving Panama team that impressed in recent CONCACAF competitions, before taking on Ghana, whose squad features dangerous attacking talents such as Antoine Semenyo and Mohammed Kudus.
With a squad packed with talent but still searching for consistency, England have the quality to challenge for the trophy. Whether they can finally end 60 years of hurt will depend on their ability to turn potential into performances when it matters most.
England FIFA World Cup 2026 Schedule
Thursday, June 18: England vs. Croatia, Dallas Stadium — 1:30 AM IST
Wednesday, June 24: England vs. Ghana, Boston Stadium — 1:30 AM IST
Sunday, June 28: Panama vs. England, New York, New Jersey Stadium — 2:30 AM IST
England's FIFA World Cup 2026 squad
Goalkeepers: Jordan Pickford (Everton), Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), James Trafford (Man City).
Defenders: Reece ‌James (Chelsea), ‌Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), John Stones (Man City), Marc Guehi (Man City), Dan Burn (Newcastle), Nico O’Reilly (Man City), Djed Spence (Tottenham), Tino Livramento (Newcastle).
Midfielders: Declan Rice (Arsenal), Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Kobbie Mainoo (Man Utd), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal).
Forwards: Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Ivan Toney (Al-Ahli), Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Noni Madueke (Arsenal).
FIFA World Cup 2026 live streaming
Fans can watch England at the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Zee's Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2, and Unite8 Sports 2 HD. The live streaming of the games will also be Zee5.
