England narrowly beats New Zealand in World Cup 2026 warm-up

England achieved a narrow 1-0 victory over New Zealand during a World Cup 2026 warm-up match held in Tampa, Florida on June 6, 2026. The match took place under intense heat conditions, with England dominating early possession but struggling to convert opportunities into goals. John Stones missed a clear chance, heading wide from an unmarked position after a corner taken by Marcus Rashford, while Rashford's subsequent shot was effectively blocked by New Zealand's Finn Surman. Despite holding 84.5% possession in the first nine minutes, England managed only one shot on target, matched by New Zealand's single attempt.

The breakthrough for England came in first-half stoppage time, when Djed Spence delivered a precise cross that allowed Harry Kane to score with a deft header into the far corner at 45+2 minutes. This goal marked an achievement for Kane, as he became the 35th different opponent he has scored against for England. At the conclusion of the first half, England had recorded four shots on target compared to New Zealand's one.

In the second half, England continued to push but was unable to capitalize on eight additional attempts, failing to test New Zealand goalkeeper Michael Crocombe. Notably, 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha made his debut, becoming England’s fifth-youngest player to do so.

Looking ahead, England is set to face Costa Rica on June 10, 2026, to prepare for their World Cup opener against Croatia, which is scheduled for June 17, 2026. They will compete in Group L alongside Panama, Ghana, and Croatia.