England's 2026 World Cup schedule is now mapped out, with Croatia first on 17 June, Ghana next on 23 June and Panama on 27 June. Those three fixtures give the opening stretch of the campaign a clear shape, even if the wider tournament picture is still to be played out.
England's opening three games
England open their World Cup campaign against Croatia on 17 June 2026 at 20:00 UTC. Their second group game is against Ghana on 23 June 2026 at 20:00 UTC. England's third listed fixture is against Panama on 27 June 2026 at 21:00 UTC.
That is the full set of fixtures shown in the brief, and it gives Thomas Tuchel a compact start to work with. The dates are close together, so the early part of the tournament will move quickly for England.
What the published schedule tells us
The only safe conclusion here is that England now know exactly who comes first, second and third. The opening test against Croatia is the standout fixture on the list, simply because it comes first and sets the tone for the group stage.
The rest is about timing. Ghana follow six days later, then Panama arrive on 27 June at 21:00 UTC. If you want the practical takeaway, it is that England's World Cup fixtures are no longer vague or speculative, they are set in black and white for the first three games.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 1 outlet. How we work →
