England Warm-Ups: New Zealand & Costa Rica Previews, Line-Ups and Predictions

Forget the friendly tag for a second: these two games in Florida are where England’s World Cup actually starts. Thomas Tuchel takes his side to face New Zealand in Tampa on Saturday 6 June and Costa Rica in Orlando on Wednesday 10 June, both kicking off at 9pm UK time, and my view is simple. The results barely matter; the spine does. After a wobbly March camp, Tuchel needs to leave Florida with a settled XI, a fit Harry Kane and zero new injuries before the Croatia opener on 17 June. England should win both comfortably, but how they win is the only thing worth watching.

England’s warm-up fixtures: dates, times and venues

Both matches are part of England’s pre-tournament camp, with the squad based in Kansas City and using south Florida to acclimatise to the American summer heat. Here are the confirmed details.

Source & time: fixtures and venues per The FA / England Football and reporting from ESPN and Sky Sports (kick-offs 4pm local, 9pm BST). UK broadcaster ITV1 per Goal/Football365; both games also streamable via ITVX. World Cup opener time per our 2026 fixture data. Details correct at the time of writing and subject to change.

England v New Zealand: the first run-out

New Zealand are exactly the kind of opponent you want first up. The All Whites are organised, physical and proud, but they sit a clear tier below England in terms of individual quality. New Zealand qualified for the 2026 finals via the Oceania route, returning to the World Cup for the first time since 2010, yet the gulf in depth and individual talent between the squads is vast. For Tuchel, that is the point: a controlled environment to blow off the cobwebs, give fringe players a half each and see his first-choice attack click without the game ever being in doubt.

Expect England to dominate possession and territory. The questions I’d be asking are about pattern, not scoreline. Does the front line move New Zealand’s deep block around, or does it go stale and lateral the way England’s attack sometimes does against low blocks? Can Declan Rice’s midfield partner break lines rather than just recycle? Tampa’s heat and humidity are a genuine variable too, which is half the reason England chose Florida for this camp in the first place.

England v Costa Rica: the tougher tune-up

Costa Rica are the more useful test, and the closer thing to tournament football. Los Ticos have history at World Cups, a streetwise defensive structure and the kind of game intelligence that punishes sloppy build-up. They will sit deep, soak pressure and look to spring on the break or win a set-piece. That is precisely the profile England will meet again and again in the knockout rounds, so this is the game where Tuchel learns the most.

I expect a tighter affair than the New Zealand game, but still an England win. The interesting selection wrinkle is how Tuchel manages minutes only a week out from the Croatia opener. Do the senior players get 60-70 minutes to build sharpness, or does he wrap his key men in cotton wool? Either way, the brief is the same: break down a low block patiently, defend the transition, and come out of Orlando with everyone fit.

England’s probable line-up and selection questions

Tuchel is widely expected to settle on a 4-2-3-1 built around captain Harry Kane, who comes into the tournament in ferocious club form after a prolific season at Bayern Munich. Across the two games I’d expect something close to this as his strongest available XI, though exact selections are reportedly still being finalised.

• Goalkeeper: Jordan Pickford
• Defence: Reece James, John Stones, Marc Guéhi, Tino Livramento
• Midfield (double pivot): Declan Rice, Elliot Anderson
• Attacking band: Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon
• Striker: Harry Kane (captain, penalties)

Three questions hang over the XI. First, who truly partners Rice: a controller like Anderson, or more legs and forward thrust? Second, is Bellingham best as a true No.10 feeding Kane, or pushed higher? Third, the balance of the front three. These friendlies exist to answer exactly those questions, which is why the line-ups matter more than the final scores.

What is Tuchel actually looking for?

Tuchel wants three things from Florida: rhythm, a settled spine, and heat conditioning, in roughly that order. England’s March camp was underwhelming, with form and fluency both off, so cohesion is the priority over any single performance. The German coach, who has Champions League pedigree from his Chelsea days, knows tournaments are won by teams that defend transitions and take their chances, not teams that look pretty in friendlies.

Crucially, avoiding injury trumps everything. Losing a key man in a meaningless friendly a week before the Croatia opener would be the worst possible outcome, which is why I expect carefully managed minutes, particularly against Costa Rica. Watch for substitution timing: that, more than the scoreline, tells you how Tuchel is thinking about 17 June.

Odds, predictions and the betting angle

England are heavy favourites in both games, as you’d expect against opponents of this level. The single-match prices below are indicative and will vary by bookmaker, so treat them as a guide to expectation rather than gospel. All odds are decimal.

Indicative single-match prices vary by bookmaker and move with team news; decimal format throughout.

From a value standpoint, the straight England win lines are short and offer little edge, which is true of most warm-ups against weaker opposition. If you are watching with a flutter in mind, the more interesting markets are usually team totals and Kane anytime scorer, given he is on penalties and England will create the bulk of the chances. New Zealand and Costa Rica both defend deep, however, so an England side rotating personnel can stall against a low block, which makes blanket over-goals lines riskier than they look on paper. Personally, in low-stakes friendlies like these I treat the result as noise and would avoid anything beyond a small, fun stake.

Responsible gambling: odds reflect probability, not certainty, and warm-up friendlies are notoriously unpredictable because both managers prioritise minutes over winning. Only bet what you can afford to lose, set a limit, and if it stops being fun, stop. Support is available via BeGambleAware. 18+ only.

What it means for England’s World Cup

Step back and these friendlies are a fitness and cohesion exercise before the real business. England are among the leading outright contenders for the 2026 World Cup, sitting behind co-favourites Spain and France but ahead of much of the field on most books (decimal odds in the region of 6.5 to 7.5, varies by bookmaker). They open Group L against Croatia, the 2018 finalists and 2022 third-place side, before facing Ghana and Panama, so a sharp, settled team coming out of Florida matters. Win the two warm-ups convincingly, keep everyone fit and find the right midfield balance, and England arrive at the tournament in exactly the shape Tuchel wants. Stumble, and the questions that have followed this side for years come straight back.

FAQ: England’s 2026 World Cup warm-up friendlies

What is the score prediction for England v New Zealand?

My prediction is a comfortable England 3-0 win in Tampa. England are heavy favourites at indicative decimal odds around 1.25, and a deep New Zealand block should ultimately be broken down, though the friendly nature of the game means it is a forecast, not a certainty.

What is the score prediction for England v Costa Rica?

I’m calling England 2-0 against Costa Rica in Orlando. Los Ticos are a tougher, more streetwise opponent than New Zealand and will sit deep, so I expect a tighter game than the first warm-up, but still an England win at indicative decimal odds around 1.40.

What UK time are England’s warm-up matches?

Both kick off at 9:00pm UK time (BST). England v New Zealand is Saturday 6 June 2026 and England v Costa Rica is Wednesday 10 June 2026, with both played at 4pm local time in Florida.

What TV channel are the England friendlies on in the UK?

Both England warm-up friendlies are due to be shown live on ITV1 in the UK, with streaming via ITVX. Always double-check the listings on the day, as schedules can change.

Will Harry Kane start the England warm-up games?

Kane is England’s captain and is widely expected to feature in both warm-ups to build sharpness, though Tuchel may manage his minutes, particularly against Costa Rica a week before the Croatia opener. Exact selections are reportedly still being finalised.

Will Jude Bellingham start for England in the friendlies?

Bellingham is expected to be central to Tuchel’s plans, likely in the attacking band behind Kane, and these friendlies are partly about settling whether he plays as a true No.10. Final line-ups are not confirmed, so treat any XI as probable rather than official.

When does England’s World Cup actually start?

England open their 2026 World Cup in Group L against Croatia on Wednesday 17 June 2026 at 9pm UK time, followed by Ghana and Panama. The warm-ups against New Zealand and Costa Rica are the final tune-ups before that opener.

Why are England playing their warm-ups in Florida?

England are based in Kansas City for the tournament but chose south Florida for the friendlies to acclimatise to the heat and humidity of an American summer, which Tuchel sees as a key part of preparation for the conditions across the US, Canada and Mexico.

Two games, one job: leave Florida settled, sharp and fit. Get that right and England v Croatia on 17 June suddenly looks a lot more inviting.

Mysports.AI

AI World Cup Predictions, on Every Match

Mysports AI combines big data and machine learning to deliver accurate match predictions and betting analysis — watch football with a real edge.

Get Free Predictions →