England's current international break concludes with a friendly against Japan at Wembley Stadium on March 31st, marking the final scheduled match before the domestic season ends. However, this is not the last time the Three Lions will be in action ahead of the World Cup 2026.
Upcoming International Breaks and Preparatory Fixtures
The next international break is scheduled for early June, following the conclusion of the club football calendar. This period will allow the England squad to gather for a dedicated training camp, focusing on finalising tactics and improving fitness levels ahead of the tournament.
June Friendlies: New Zealand and Costa Rica
During this break, England will play their first warm-up match against New Zealand on Saturday, June 6th. While the specific venue is still being finalised, the match is expected to take place in Florida to help players acclimatise to North American conditions. The break continues on Wednesday, June 10th, with England facing Costa Rica in their second and final pre-tournament friendly.
World Cup 2026 Group Stage Schedule
The tournament officially starts on June 11th. England's first Group L game is against Croatia on Wednesday, June 17th, at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Their campaign continues with a fixture against Ghana on Tuesday, June 23rd, scheduled at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The group stage concludes for England with a match against Panama on Saturday, June 27th, at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Qualification Success and Record
England secured their World Cup spot by finishing first in UEFA Group K with a perfect record of eight wins from eight games. They accumulated 24 points, which was 10 points clear of second-placed Albania. Qualification was officially confirmed on October 14th following a 5-0 away victory against Latvia. The Three Lions scored a total of 22 goals across their eight group matches and finished the entire qualification series without conceding a single goal.
