A thunderstorm in Orlando delayed kick-off by an hour, but when England finally took to the field against Costa Rica, the electricity was provided by the players. Goals from Declan Rice, Anthony Gordon and Ollie Watkins sealed a comfortable 3-0 win – the final tune-up before the World Cup 2026 begins. Yet beneath the scoreline, manager Thomas Tuchel still faces tough choices about his starting lineup, with four positions described as "still up for grabs".
England’s preparation for the World Cup 2026 has been shaped by more than just training. Their final friendly before the tournament was played in the kind of unpredictable North American weather that could affect the group stage. Orlando’s rain and lightning gave the squad a crash course in dealing with delays, but the performance against a weak Costa Rica side was bright and energetic. Rice, now officially the vice-captain, opened the scoring after an early assist from Gordon. Gordon then scored a penalty – his third England goal – before substitute Watkins added a third.
“Explains England's World Cup 2026 warm-up win and key selection battles.”
The match highlighted one of Tuchel’s biggest selection dilemmas: who starts on the left wing? Anthony Gordon has been in a battle with Marcus Rashford for that spot. Rashford was England’s outstanding player against New Zealand a few days earlier, but Gordon was preferred against Costa Rica and seized his opportunity. Gordon’s rise has been remarkable. He joined Barcelona in the summer, and his comparatively good Spanish at his unveiling was, he said, a product of his dream to play for them. At Newcastle he had taken over penalty duties after Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson left, and he showed the same confidence to step up for England when Harry Kane was substituted.
Tuchel also experimented with other combinations. Jude Bellingham and Kane linked up well, while midfielder Elliot Anderson – a target for Manchester City – impressed. But the manager did not make any substitutions until the 63rd minute, when he brought on six players at once. That suggests he is still weighing up his best XI. Marc Guehi is pushing to start ahead of Ezri Konsa, and the backline remains unsettled.
For UK readers, this friendly matters because it offers clues about how England will line up when the tournament truly begins. The World Cup 2026 opener is against Croatia in Dallas on June 17 – a rematch of the 2018 semi-final. That fixture will be played under a roof, but other matches could be affected by storms or even tornadoes: England’s base in Kansas has the second-highest number of tornadoes each year in the United States.
Q: Why did Anthony Gordon take England’s penalty instead of Jude Bellingham or Bukayo Saka? Gordon stepped forward because Harry Kane had already been substituted. Gordon has a track record of converting penalties: he scored five from the spot in the Champions League this season for Barcelona, and he took over at Newcastle after the departures of Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson. His confidence and self-belief saw him claim the ball.
Q: How did the weather delay affect England’s preparation? Kick-off was pushed back by an hour due to lightning and rain in Orlando. Players waited in the dressing room before the warm-up. It gave them experience of the kind of unpredictable storms that could hit later in the tournament, especially in tornado-prone areas like Kansas, where England will be based.
Q: Who are the main contenders for the left-wing spot in England’s starting XI? Marcus Rashford was England’s best player in the previous friendly against New Zealand. But Anthony Gordon started against Costa Rica, creating a goal and scoring one. Tuchel has also used Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka in that area, so the competition is fierce.
What happens next is clear: England will fly from Florida to their official World Cup headquarters in Kansas on Saturday. The opening group game against Croatia is in Dallas on June 17 – a serious test against a team that knocked England out of the 2018 semi-finals. Tuchel will name his starting lineup in the days before, and the decisions he makes on the left wing and in defence could define England’s tournament.