Each co-host has now played their opening match of the 2026 World Cup. Mexico kicked things off with a win over South Africa, before Canada battled to a draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The US have been the most impressive so far, however, thumping Paraguay 4-1 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

As excitement grows with every game, England will have to be patient and wait until 17 June before their tournament finally begins. They are faced with a tricky fixture as well, as they take on Croatia, the same nation that sent them home at the semi-final stage in Russia 2018.

Thomas Tuchel had a big enough task on his hands when naming the 26-man squad for the World Cup – notably leaving the likes of Harry Maguire, Phil Foden and Cole Palmer at home – but his job becomes more complicated now, as he must select his first starting XI for the summer tournament.

A report from BBC Sport appears to have already ‘leaked’ a few key decisions made by the German ahead of the Croatia match.

Tuchel Makes Big Call on Starting Bellingham vs Croatia

Lee Smith via Reuters

One of the big talking points for the Three Lions going into the tournament has revolved around the attack. While captain Harry Kane will obviously start, Tuchel has a big call to make in terms of the man who will play in the ten role behind the striker.

In five international games across 2025 and 2026, Aston Villa ace Morgan Rogers has been trusted in that position. When he starts, though, it means Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham has to controversially settle for a spot on the bench.

In the two World Cup warm-ups, Rogers was given the nod against New Zealand, before Bellingham was handed the start against Costa Rica. It appears as though Tuchel has now made a final call on who will start, with the BBC claiming that the team which started that latter match will be the team to start against Croatia.

Journalist Sami Mokbel wrote: “Well, there is certainly a sense within the camp that the team that started in Orlando, barring maybe one or two exceptions, will be the side that begins the tournament.

Tuchel Decides on His World Cup Centre-Back Pairing

Jim Rassol via Reuters

With BBC ‘sources’ indicating that the team that started in the 3-0 win over Costa Rica will be close to the team that Tuchel picks against Croatia on Wednesday, that also means Tuchel has already made a big call regarding his centre-back partnership to start the tournament.

John Stones lined up alongside Maguire for many years but Marc Guehi took the Manchester United man’s place at Euro 2024. However, it looks as though Ezri Konsa will now start at the 2026 World Cup.

Indeed, the Aston Villa man lined up alongside Stones against Costa Rica, which suggests Tuchel has decided this will be his defensive pairing for the opening match. This may surprise some, especially as Guehi spent the last six months playing at Manchester City with Stones. The BBC explain, however:

The report also mentions that a ‘fully fit Bukayo Saka would almost certainly’ start ahead of Noni Madueke, but that just depends on the player’s fitness. He only came off the bench against Costa Rica, and that could happen again against Croatia, although it’s felt that Saka could start even if he isn’t fit enough to finish the match.

There has already been a great deal of talk about off-field issues at the 2026 World Cup so far. Visa issues and overzealous border security have left a bad taste in the mouth for money.

Just when the football was starting to come into focus again – helped by the US’s fantastic 4-1 win over Paraguay – another worrying concern has emerged. Indeed, according to local police, the English national team have been hit by a robbery.

The Three Lions had gear moving from West Palm Beach in Florida to their Swope Soccer Village base in Kansas City, Missouri, when the audacious World Cup heist took place.

Credit: Reuters/Jim Rassol

As first reported by Daily Mail, Thomas Tuchel’s men were due to train in the Kansas City camp for the first time this afternoon (13 June), but staff are now ‘scrambling’ to figure out exactly what has been taken and what is available to them. Indeed, some very important equipment was taken from a van en route from Florida to Missouri.

Details have now emerged of what exactly was stolen, as it’s remarkably stated that only one football has been left for the players to train with. Among the missing cargo, it’s also claimed that football boots have also gone missing, with fears that Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham could be among those robbed.

It’s far from ideal preparation for the World Cup opener against Croata in just four days. England staff are said to have packed up all of their essential training gear to make the journey from the pre-camp in Florida to their official World Cup base. This included analysis equipment, as well as Tuchel’s whiteboards and massage tables.

Police Department Share Statement After England World Cup Heist

It is understood that an arrest has already been made, with the Daily Mail claiming that security staff suspect drivers they trusted to deliver the kit could be involved in the robbery. The FA are now liaising with local police as they try to recover the stolen goods.

The Kansas City, Missouri Police Department have released a statement, explaining:

It remains unclear just how complicated it will be for England to immediately replace all the items stolen before their opening Group L game on 17 June.

This isn’t the first drama relating to issues of crime near a Three Lions’ training camp, as nine were injured in a mass shooting just four miles from the training base and team hotel in Kansas City earlier in the month.

Former United States international Clint Dempsey launched a furious response to Canada head coach Jesse Marsch on live TV during day two of the 2026 World Cup.

Canada and the United States’ men’s teams were both in action on Friday.

Marsch’s Canada came from behind to draw 1-1 with Bosnia and Herzegovina, while the United States secured an emphatic 4-1 win over Paraguay – a match which saw football history made with the first-ever ‘Mistaken Identity’ VAR check.

Marsch: ‘We Had to Beg US Players to Sing National Anthem’

Kevin Sousa via Reuters

Marsch, who was capped twice by the United States as a player and went on to work as an assistant coach under Bob Bradley, caused a stir this week by saying they had to sometimes “beg players to sing the national anthem” when he was part of the US setup.

Speaking about his current players, Marsch was quoted by The Guardian saying: “Every one of these boys is incredibly Canadian and the pride they have in putting on the jersey, representing the country, hearing the national anthem.”

He added: “In the US sometimes we had to beg players to sing the national anthem … these guys belt it out to the top of their lungs because they want to show the country how proud they are to be here, to be Canadians and to represent what Canada is.”

Dempsey Issues Stinging Response to Marsch

Fox Sports

Dempsey, the former Fulham and Tottenham star who now works as a pundit, was told of Marsch’s eyebrow-raising comments ahead of Friday’s two World Cup fixtures and issued a stinging response.

“He really said that?” Dempsey asked. “Man, I can’t take this guy too seriously. It was an honour for me growing up and represent my country. When the national anthem happened, I wasn’t someone who normally would sing. I put my hand over my heart, and I’d pray to the good man upstairs.

And as my boy Titi [Thierry Henry] would say, stay in your own lane. It looks like he’s in a dang moped, so worry about your own team.” Watch the clip below:

Dempsey is the joint-leading scorer in the history of the US Men’s National Team with 57 goals. He earned 141 caps for his country between 2004-2017, putting him fourth for most appearances in the nation’s history behind Cobi Jones (164 caps), Landon Donovan (157 caps) and Michael Bradley (151 caps).