Germany will start their World Cup 2026 campaign on Sunday with a historic Group E clash against first-time entrants Curacao at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas. The 72,000-capacity venue will host the four-time champions as they seek to begin their tournament with a victory, but they will have to do so without teenage winger Lennart Karl. The Bayern Munich youngster has been ruled out of the entire tournament through injury, forcing Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann to call up 20-year-old Assan Ouedraogo as a replacement. Ouedraogo is not expected to start on Sunday, leaving Nagelsmann with a largely fit squad to choose from, though the absence of Karl is a blow to Germany's attacking options.
Curacao, meanwhile, have no major injury concerns and are boosted by the return of key striker Jurgen Locadia, who has served a suspension and is available for selection. The Caribbean nation will make their World Cup debut this weekend, having qualified for the first time in their history, and they will face a German side that last won the trophy in 2014. The two nations have never met before in any competitive or friendly fixture, making Sunday's match a historic milestone in international football.
“Germany face World Cup debutants Curacao on Sunday in Group E, with Lennart Karl ruled out by injury.”
Fans in the UK can watch the game free-to-air on ITV1, with coverage beginning at 5pm, an hour before the 6pm kick-off. The match will also be streamed live on the ITVX website and app, available for free after creating an account. On radio, BBC Radio 5 Live will provide full live commentary, broadcast digitally via the BBC Sounds app. For viewers in the United States, the match will be shown on Fox with English commentary, while Spanish-language coverage will be available on Telemundo, both starting at 1pm local time.
Germany captain and their fans will expect a dominant display against the tournament's newest participants, but Curacao — buoyed by Locadia's return and with nothing to lose — will be determined to make their first World Cup match a memorable one. The referee's whistle at the NRG Stadium will mark the beginning of a new chapter for both sides.