England began their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with a win against Croatia on Wednesday evening. The match, played in Group L, saw England emerge victorious in what was anticipated to be a competitive contest. Croatia, a semi-finalist at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, presented a strong challenge. Marcus Rashford scored the decisive goal, securing the win for England. This opening match sets the stage for further qualifying rounds as both teams vie for a place in the tournament. England previously reached the final of the European Championship, demonstrating their recent success in major international competitions. The game kicked off at 10:00 PM local time.