This whole situation just screams unnecessary stress for England fans.
Because England kick off their 2026 World Cup campaign so late, the Football Association is struggling to line up proper warm-up games.
Thomas Tuchel wants friendlies right before the tournament, ideally on June 6 and June 10 near the Florida training camp, but FIFA rules have boxed England into a corner. Most World Cup teams simply aren’t allowed to play that close to their opening match.
That leaves England scraping around for opponents, with New Zealand and Costa Rica now being talked about. Not exactly the elite-level tests you’d want before opening against Croatia on June 17.
What makes this worse is that England already haven’t faced much top-tier opposition under Tuchel, so these friendlies actually matter.
Add in heavy travel, a packed schedule, and players barely getting a rest after club football, and it feels like England are starting the World Cup at a disadvantage before a ball is even kicked.
As fans, you just hope the FA pulls something decent together because going into a World Cup half-prepared never ends well.
