TRIBUNMATARAMAN.COM – The predicted line-ups for the England vs Croatia match in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scheduled for Thursday (18 June 2026), will be broadcast live on TVRI.
Fans can also watch the 2026 World Cup clash between England and Croatia via online platforms such as FolaPlay and MAXStream, starting at 03:00 WIB.
The opening Group L fixture between England and Croatia promises to be one of the most exciting encounters of the group stage. Taking place at Dallas Stadium, Texas, the match carries a strong sense of revenge and high stakes for both sides.
For England supporters, memories of the painful 2018 World Cup semi-final defeat are still fresh. Back then, The Three Lions took an early lead through a Kieran Trippier free-kick, only for Croatia to turn the game around with goals from Ivan Perisic and Mario Mandzukic, securing a 2-1 win after extra time.
This time, England have the opportunity not only to avenge that loss but also to start their 2026 World Cup campaign with a crucial victory.
Under the management of Thomas Tuchel, England enter the tournament with high expectations. The German coach is trusted to bring significant changes after the team’s repeated failures in major tournaments in recent years.
The Three Lions were impressive throughout the European qualifiers, remaining unbeaten. One of their standout results was a dominant 5-0 victory over Serbia.
Tuchel is expected to continue using his aggressive 4-3-2-1 formation with Harry Kane as the main striker.
The England captain will be supported by Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden, and Declan Rice, who will anchor the midfield.
Although Croatia still rely on many experienced players, they remain a formidable opponent.
Coached by Zlatko Dalic, Croatia showed remarkable consistency during the qualifiers, with seven wins and one draw. From eight matches, the Vatreni scored 26 goals and conceded only four.
The experience of Luka Modric, Ivan Perisic, and Andrej Kramaric continues to be Croatia’s main asset.
Meanwhile, a new generation including Josko Gvardiol, Martin Baturina, and Petar Sucic are beginning to play key roles in the team’s transition.
This match is expected to be decided largely by the midfield battle.
Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic will aim to control Croatia’s tempo while attempting to neutralise the energy and creativity of Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice.
At the front, Harry Kane will be the main threat for Croatia’s defence, marshalled by Josko Gvardiol.
If England can dominate the midfield, their chances of victory will increase significantly. However, if Croatia manage to dictate the tempo, their experience in major tournaments could once again prove decisive.
Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic admitted that England are the toughest opponents in their group.
“Our group is undoubtedly the toughest in the 2026 World Cup. We face the hardest opening match against England, a strong and great team. The first match is always the most important,” said Dalic.
He also emphasised that Croatia aim to replicate their impressive performances from the last two World Cup editions.
The excitement of the 2026 World Cup, which began on 11 June 2026, has not yet been felt in Malang Regency. This is evident from the low public interest in purchasing World Cup-themed merchandise such as jerseys.
In one custom jersey store located in Kepanjen District, Malang Regency, there have been no orders for World Cup-related items even ten days before the tournament kicks off.
“As of today, no one has ordered World Cup-themed jerseys,” said Jamaludin, the admin of Kazoku Store, on Monday (1 June 2026).
He explained that most current orders are for carnival events, as several areas in Malang Regency are holding festive parades mid-year.
Looking back at previous World Cups, the store, established in the early 2000s, noted that local enthusiasm has always been relatively low.
“Most people here live in rural areas, so they are more focused on events like carnivals or running events, as well as supporting Arema or school group shirts,” he added.
Kazoku accepts custom orders for combed T-shirts, jerseys, polos, shirts, and jackets, based on customer design requests.
Prices start from IDR 55,000 per piece for combed shirts and IDR 65,000 per piece for jerseys. Purchases can be made in-store or online.
“On average, we receive up to 100 orders per day for shirts and jerseys,” Jamaludin remarked.
HEAD TO HEAD
England vs Croatia Match Record
13/06/2021: England 1-0 Croatia
18/11/2018: England 2-1 Croatia
13/10/2018: Croatia 0-0 England
12/07/2018: Croatia 2-1 England
10/09/2009: England 5-1 Croatia
England’s Last 5 Matches
11/06/2026: England 3-0 Costa Rica
07/06/2026: England 1-0 New Zealand
01/04/2026: England 0-1 Japan
28/03/2026: England 1-1 Uruguay
17/11/2025: Albania 0-2 England
Croatia’s Last 5 Matches
08/06/2026: Croatia 2-1 Slovenia
02/06/2026: Croatia 0-2 Belgium
01/04/2026: Brazil 3-1 Croatia
27/03/2026: Colombia 1-2 Croatia
18/11/2025: Montenegro 2-3 Croatia
FolaPlay Link
MAXStream Link
TVRI Link
Installing FolaPlay is simple and can be done via official app stores. Follow these steps:
England (4-2-3-1): Jordan Pickford; Reece James, John Stones, Marc Guehi, Nico O'Reilly; Declan Rice, Kobbie Mainoo; Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon; Harry Kane.
Croatia (4-2-3-1): Dominik Livakovic; Josip Stanisic, Josip Sutalo, Josko Gvardiol, Marin Pongracic; Mateo Kovacic, Mario Pasalic; Martin Baturina, Luka Modric, Ivan Perisic; Andej Kramaric.
(TribunMataraman.com)
