England vs Croatia Picks, Tips, Odds & Best Bets: 2026 World Cup Group L
Will the 2026 FIFA World Cup be the tournament when it finally comes home? England make their long-awaited debut against Croatia, widely considered their biggest threat to first place in the Group L standings, and manager Thomas Tuchel's side are the clear favorites. Kickoff is Wednesday, June 17 at 4:00 p.m. ET. Here are three best bets for this matchup.
Shop every line on the RotoWire soccer betting page and check the 2026 World Cup set-piece takers guide before betting anything tied to dead balls.
England vs Croatia Picks & Odds
Market | Odds |
| England to win | -138 |
| Harry Kane to score first goal | +380 |
| Both teams not to score | -130 |
| Correct score prediction | England 2-0 Croatia |
England vs. Croatia Best Bets
England to win -138
England were one of the most dominant teams in the UEFA World Cup Qualifiers, winning all eight matches without conceding a single goal, though their highest-ranked opponent was Turkiye. Form in recent friendlies has been uneven, a 1-1 draw against Uruguay and a 1-0 loss to Japan in March, while their pre-World Cup wins against New Zealand and Costa Rica cannot be used as a true measurement of what Croatia will offer.
Despite the uneven form, the criticism over squad selection and the lack of conviction from some corners of the media, anything other than an England win here would be a shocking outcome. England have gone W11, D1, L2 in their last 14 contests since the end of the UEFA Nations League. Croatia, meanwhile, suffered defeats against Brazil (3-1) and Belgium (2-0) in recent friendlies, suggesting they are not yet ready to handle top-level opponents. Luka Modric and Josko Gvardiol are still around, but this is a new generation of Croatian talent and England have too much for them.
Harry Kane to score first goal +380
Kane was one of only two players with Michael Olise across Europe's top five leagues to average over 1.0 goals plus assists per game domestically in 2025/26, with 36 goals and five assists in 31 Bundesliga appearances. The second-best scorer in those leagues was Erling Haaland with 27, the gap between Kane and the field tells you everything about the level he is operating at.
Kane broke the deadlock against New Zealand in a friendly this month, as well as in the DFB-Pokal final against Stuttgart and in five of his last seven goal-scoring appearances. England's attack is built around his finishing, and he carries a sizable advantage over the projected Croatia center-back pairing of Luka Vuskovic and Marin Pongracic. Kane opening the scoring at +380 is the best price on the card.
Both teams not to score -130
Croatia feature one of La Liga's more productive strikers in Ante Budimir, who netted 17 goals for Osasuna in 2025/26, but their attacking threat beyond him is limited. England, meanwhile, are not easy to score against. They did not concede a single goal through the World Cup Qualifiers, have allowed just five goals in their last 15 matches dating back to November 2024, and have kept 10 clean sheets since qualifying began. A defense filled with elite Premier League talent, facing a Croatian attack that has conceded in six straight matches, sets this up firmly in England's favor. A clean sheet in the opener would not be a surprise at all.
England vs. Croatia Betting Picks
- England to win: -138
- England vs. Croatia First-Goal Scorer (Best Bet): Harry Kane to score first goal +380
- England vs. Croatia BBTS (Best Bet): Both teams not to score: -130
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