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World Cup 2026 Today: England-Croatia and Ronaldo's Opener
Six days into an expanded 48-team World Cup, the tournament finally hands its biggest European names a stage. Wednesday, June 17 is the heaviest day of the group phase so far, with two complete groups starting their campaigns and a third filling in its second opener. If you only have room to follow one slate of World Cup 2026 fixtures this week, this is the one to clear your evening for.
The headline is England vs Croatia, a rerun of the 2018 semi-final that still stings in English memory. Add Cristiano Ronaldo walking out for what is almost certainly his final World Cup, a Colombia side many tip as dark horses, and a debutant in Jordan, and you have a day that swings from nostalgia to genuine jeopardy.
The full June 17 schedule, and India timings
Five matches, three groups. For Indian viewers, everything is on Zee5, and the kickoffs stretch from late evening into the small hours. North American afternoons are Indian nights, so plan accordingly.
- Austria vs Jordan (Group J) — Jordan's first-ever World Cup match
- Portugal vs DR Congo (Group K) — 1 p.m. ET, around 10:30 p.m. IST
- England vs Croatia (Group L) — 4 p.m. ET, around 1:30 a.m. IST (June 18)
- Ghana vs Panama (Group L) — evening kickoff, roughly 4:30 a.m. IST
- Uzbekistan vs Colombia (Group K) — 10 p.m. ET, around 7:30 a.m. IST (June 18)
That ordering matters. Both Group K and Group L play their entire first round on the same day, so by Thursday morning IST you will have a full read on who blinked first in two of the tournament's more watchable pools.
England vs Croatia: the rematch nobody forgot
Moscow, 2018. Croatia came from behind to beat England in extra time and reach a World Cup final. Eight years on, the two meet again, this time at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, and the framing writes itself.
What has changed is the balance of age. Luka Modric and Croatia's golden generation are deep into the veteran phase of their careers, still clever but no longer able to run a tournament into the ground. England, by contrast, arrive with one of the deepest attacking squads in the competition and the awkward label they have carried for a decade: rich in talent, short on a trophy to show for it.
This is the kind of opener that can quietly define a group. Group L also contains Ghana and Panama, neither a pushover, so dropping points in the marquee fixture leaves little margin. Expect England to dominate the ball and Croatia to do what they always do, sit in, frustrate, and look for one moment of midfield class. A draw would suit the older side far more than the younger one.
Ronaldo's last bow begins against DR Congo
Few storylines in this World Cup carry the weight of Cristiano Ronaldo at his sixth and final tournament. At 41, under coach Roberto Martinez, he is chasing the one prize that has eluded a glittering career: a World Cup. He has a European Championship and Nations League titles, but never this.
Portugal open Group K against DR Congo, a physical, athletic African side that will not be intimidated by the badge. On paper Portugal are comfortable favourites, blessed with a generation of midfielders and forwards that goes far beyond their captain. The interesting question is tactical: how much does Martinez build around Ronaldo, and how much around the younger legs that may carry Portugal deeper into the knockouts.
For neutrals, the appeal is simple. Every Ronaldo touch now comes with a countdown attached. Whether he starts or is used as a closer, this is a chance to watch one of the game's defining figures chase a final, missing piece.
Colombia and Uzbekistan: the day's real banana skin
While the cameras chase Ronaldo, the late Group K game may be the smarter watch. Colombia are one of the more fancied teams outside the traditional favourites, built on flair, a strong spine and a habit of upsetting bigger names on their day. They are exactly the sort of side that can reach a quarter-final and frighten anyone.
Standing in their way first are Uzbekistan, making their World Cup debut after finally breaking through in Asian qualifying. Tournament debutants are unpredictable. They play without fear, they have nothing to lose, and they have spent years being underestimated. Colombia will be wary of treating this as a routine three points, because a slow start here scrambles the entire group before Portugal even settle.
This is the value of a 48-team field. The neat hierarchy of old has been replaced by genuine variety, and openers against unfamiliar opponents are where favourites trip.
What's actually at stake on matchday one
In the new World Cup format, the maths of the group stage has shifted. Twelve groups of four send through the top two plus the eight best third-placed teams, which means a single opening win can be close to decisive and an opening loss is recoverable but costly.
Three things to track across the day:
- Tempo-setters vs slow starters. Teams that win their opener can manage the rest of the group. England and Portugal both want to bank three points early and avoid a final-round shootout for qualification.
- The debutant effect. Jordan and Uzbekistan are at their first World Cup. How they handle the occasion, nerves or freedom, tells you a lot about whether they can spring a shock later.
- Squad depth on a long tournament. With more matches and travel across three host nations, the sides that rotate intelligently from game one tend to be standing in July.
Coming off Tuesday's marker
The June 17 card follows a statement night. France opened with a 3-1 win over Senegal, with Kylian Mbappe at the centre of it, a reminder that the established powers have arrived in form and intend to make their group stages short and efficient.
That sets the bar for Wednesday's headliners. England and Portugal will both want to answer in kind, because in a tournament this large, the early statements shape the seedings, the narratives and the knockout path. By the time Colombia and Uzbekistan finish in the small hours of Thursday IST, the shape of two groups will already be clear, and the chase for the round of 32 will be fully on.
