England vs. Croatia Picks and Predictions: June 17, 2026

Written by: Nate Hornung
Published: Wed Jun 17, 2026, 10:20 am ET
Read Time: 5 minutes

FIFA World Cup
Spread
Total
Moneyline
-0.5
-135
2
-108u
-135
Spread
Total
Moneyline
+1.0
-155
2
+121o
+430
Our final groups finally being their tournament as Groups K and L host their first matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Down at AT&T Stadium this afternoon, England and Croatia go head to head. Luka Modric and Harry Kane might both be playing in their last World Cup, and both are eager to perform well for their countries. Let's dive into our favorite World Cup picks in this match.
Check out the best odds on the market and tons of picks in different soccer leagues across the world.
England vs. Croatia FIFA World Cup Betting Insights

Luka Modric and Croatia went to the World Cup Final back in 2018
Back in 2018, Croatia made it all the way to the World Cup Final Match, where they were beaten by France. England went all the way to the EURO 2024 Finals, but lost to Spain. Can either country get over the hump and win a major trophy? The Brits shutout both New Zealand and Costa Rica in their two friendlies prior to this tournament, while Croatia lost to Belgium in a shutout, but beat Slovenia 2-1.
That doesn't give me too much faith in this Croatian side who is past their golden generation at this point. I have England being the much stronger force in this tournament and group, and tonight I see them flexing their muscle to open the competition.
Matchup Information – England vs. Croatia – June 17
- Venue & Location: AT&T Stadium (Arlington, TX)
- Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2026
- Kick Off: 4:00 p.m. Eastern
- Broadcast: FOX/Peacock
England vs. Croatia Betting Odds
Odds are courtesy of our friends at Lucky Rebel Sportsbook, as of June 17, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. eastern. Sign up today and get a $1,250 deposit bonus as well as 50 slot spins immediately in your account and start betting at the sportsbook with the most competitive odds in the industry, and a wide variety of unique markets not offered anywhere else.
Moneyline
- England -146
- Draw +270
- Croatia +425
Spread
- England -1 (+127)
- Croatia +1 (-147)
Total
- Over 2.5 (+107)
- Under 2.5 (-128)
England vs. Croatia FIFA World Cup Picks

Declan Rice led Arsenal to their first EPL title in two decades. How far can he take England in the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
Best Bet: England ML/Under 4.5 (-104) Lucky Rebel Sportsbook
I am taking the Brits to win in a low scoring match. Feel free to bring this total down to 3.5 for plus money if you want some extra bang for your buck, but ultimately I am not worried about the Croatian offense. They gave up three total goals in their last two World Cup qualifying matches to Montenegro and the Faroe Islands, two teams they should easily shutout. Sure, they got the win by netting three goals in each of those contests, but defensively they struggled. Against an attack like England, they could be in for a rude awakening.
On the flip side, if you're the English, this is THE match of the group stage. You should easily handle Ghana and Panama, but a win today could seal the group in your first contest. I expect the English to leave no doubt on the pitch. Will they run up the score? Probably not, just because they play a more conservative style of soccer.
However, they should dominate the stat sheet, create plenty of chances, and put a couple in the back of the net to cash our same game parlay.
Prediction: England Wins 2-0 (+650)
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Nate has been a recreational sports bettor for about 5 years. In that time, he has grown to love the pursuit of winners and sticking it to The Man. Nate loves data and uses his understanding of numbers to help him be a more profitable sports gambler, however he will be the first to tell you this game is about more than just stats.
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