England and Croatia commenced their World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign with a match on Wednesday evening. England, finalists in the recent European Championship, faced Croatia, who secured third place at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The Group L encounter was anticipated to be a competitive fixture, kicking off at 10:00 PM local time. Following a Croatian equalizer, England quickly regained the lead, demonstrating their attacking prowess. The match signifies the start of the qualifying process for both nations aiming to secure a spot in the 2026 World Cup. The game is expected to set the tone for the remainder of the group stage.