Preview: England vs Costa Rica – latest news, line-ups, absences (10/06/2026)
Preview, team news, head-to-head, probable line-ups and where to watch England vs Costa Rica in Wednesday’s international friendly ahead of the 2026 World Cup
On Wednesday night, England take on Costa Rica in Orlando in their final warm-up game ahead of the 2026 World Cup. After underwhelming displays in their previous two friendlies, this is a last chance for players to impress Thomas Tuchel before the Three Lionsā tournament curtain-raiser next Wednesday, June 17, against Croatia.
As one of the favourites to win the tournament, England will be hoping for a confidence-boosting display to lift morale after a lacklustre 1-0 victory against New Zealand in their last outing, which followed on from a 1-0 defeat to Japan and a 1-1 draw with Uruguay in March. England are amongst the favourites for a reason, but a few goals against Costa Rica would help fans believe it.
Latest news: absences, form, team news
While Englandās recent form isnāt the most inspiring, they have only lost two of their last 10 games. Costa Rica, on the other hand, have only won two of their last 10. Ranked 47 places below England, Fernando Batistaās side will have their work cut.
Costa Rica failed to qualify for the World Cup, but Tuchel will be looking to use this game to fine tune his side ahead of the tournament. For England, it will be about rhythm and fitness as well as tactics, but perhaps most of all the manager will be hoping to avoid injuries.
England
Tuchel has no injury concerns and a fully fit squad of 26 players to choose from. Arsenalās players have now joined up with the squad and are in contention to be involved in this game, having been afforded an extended break after the Champions League final. That means there should be some game time for Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze, Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke. After experimenting with his team and giving no player more than 45 minutes, we can expect Tuchel to field something more like his first-choice XI against Costa Rica.
Costa Rica
While their opponents have their thoughts on next week, Costa Rica are looking further to the future. That is evidenced by the absence of national legend Joel Campbell from the squad. Goal-scoring responsibilities will instead fall to Manfred Ugalde of Spartak Moscow and Ćlvaro Zamora, who spent the last season on loan at AcadĆ©mico de Viseu from Greek side Aris.
England vs Costa Rica H2H: head-to-head stats
England and Costa Rica have only met twice previously, with their last encounter coming in a 2018 friendly at Elland Road that the home side won thanks to goals from Marcus Rashford and Danny Welbeck. That game was also a June friendly as a warm-up for the World Cup, with England reaching the semi-finals that year in Russia. The only competitive meeting between the sides came at the 2014 World Cup and ended in a stalemate.
Previous meetings:
- 07/06/2018: England 2-0 Costa Rica (Friendly)
- 24/06/2014: England 0-0 Costa Rica (World Cup 2014)
Predicted line-ups
Given that this is Englandās last run-out before the real show starts, Tuchel is likely to field a strong side from the start to get players used to playing alongside each other and keep those partnerships ticking over. There will likely be numerous changes in the second half, but the starting XI should give us a good idea of his plans for next week.
Tactical analysis: can England break down Costa Ricaās 4-4-2?
After a lukewarm display against New Zealand, Tuchel will want his first-choice team to go out and lay down a marker ahead of the World Cup. He will want his side to control the game and play with pace and intent and hopefully score a few goals.
The opposition wonāt present as stern a test as Croatia or Ghana, but may be a good dress rehearsal for the Panama game. Like their Central American counterparts, Costa Rica play in a 4-4-2 and will likely sit in two deep banks of four and try to hit England on the counter.
Key players to watch
The players likely to be key to their sides chances in this game are Jude Bellingham for England and Manfred Ugalde for Costa Rica.
Jude Bellingham (England)
If England are to have a good tournament, they will need their stars to step up. Jude Bellingham didnāt have the happiest of seasons in Madrid, but he might just thrive with more responsibility on his shoulders in an England shirt. Playing behind Harry Kane, his invention and drive will be key to England unlocking stubborn defences.
Manfred Ugalde (Costa Rica)
With Joel Campbell left out of this international meet-up, the top-scoring player in Los Ticosā ranks is 24-year-old Manfred Ugalde. The striker has 11 goals in 31 caps and may need to take any chances that come his way if his side are to have a hope of causing an upset like they did in 2014.
Where to watch England vs Costa Rica in the UK and Ireland
England vs Costa Rica kicks off at 20:00 BST on Wednesday, 10 June 2026 in Orlando, Florida.
In the United Kingdom, the match will be shown live on ITV1 and streamed via ITVX. Coverage begins earlier in the evening as part of ITV’s build-up to England’s final World Cup warm-up match.
In the Republic of Ireland, viewers can watch through ITVX where available.
Market insights and probability predictions
England are the overwhelming favourites for this game with markets suggesting they have an 84.6% chance of victory, compared to just 5.3% for Costa Rica. A draw, like in 2014, is rated at 11.8%. There should be plenty of goals, though, with a 63.6% chance of over 2.5.
Prediction
Given that England are likely to return to full strength and will be itching to put on a good performance to get fans in the mood for the tournament, itās hard to see anything other than an England win. Iām going to go for a 4-1 victory for Tuchelās side.
The inevitable and inimitable Harry Kane got the winner against New Zealand and I fancy him to get another on Wednesday. You can get odds of 7/5 on Kane to score, England to win and under 5 goals.
