Croatia fans parade through Dallas before England World Cup opener
Croatia's Dallas parade turned a Group L opener into an early test of World Cup 2026 fan culture.
In 30 seconds
- Footage from Dallas showed Croatia supporters parading in national colours and cowboy-themed dress before the match.
- FIFA's match schedule lists England v Croatia at Dallas Stadium on 17 June 2026.
- FIFA's Group L schedule also includes Ghana and Panama.
- FIFA's tournament format sends group winners, runners-up and eight third-placed teams into the round of 32.
How we got here
- 2018-07-11
Croatia beat England 2-1 after extra time in the World Cup semi-final in Moscow.
- 2022-12-17
Croatia finished third at the 2022 World Cup.
- 2026-06-17
Croatia supporters paraded in Dallas before England v Croatia in Group L.
- 2026-06-23
FIFA's schedule lists England v Ghana and Panama v Croatia as the next Group L matches.
- 2026-06-27
FIFA's schedule lists Panama v England and Croatia v Ghana as the final Group L matches.
Croatia supporters (fans of Croatia's national football team, known for red-and-white chequered colours) are the central subject of the Dallas parade. Dallas (Texas city in the United States) is one of the 2026 FIFA World Cup host markets. Arlington (Dallas-Fort Worth city where AT&T Stadium is located) hosts the match venue that FIFA uses as Dallas Stadium during the tournament. England (UEFA national team and 1966 World Cup winner) face Croatia in Group L. Croatia (EU member state and 2018 World Cup runner-up) have become a modern tournament regular since independence. FIFA World Cup 26 (the 2026 men's World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States) is the first 48-team edition. Group L (the tournament group containing England, Croatia, Ghana and Panama) begins on 17 June. Thomas Tuchel (German coach appointed England manager for this cycle) leads England. Luka Modrić (Croatia midfielder and 2018 Ballon d'Or winner) remains the symbolic figure of Croatia's golden generation.
Background
FIFA's historical records show Croatia reached the 2018 World Cup final and finished third in 2022, a record that gives its supporters a status disproportionate to the country's size. England and Croatia's modern rivalry is anchored by the 2018 semi-final, when Croatia beat England 2-1 after extra time in Moscow. FIFA's 2026 format changes the context again: the tournament expanded to 48 teams, and the top two teams in each group plus eight third-placed teams can reach the round of 32, reducing but not removing the pressure of an opening match.
Why now
The parade took place on 17 June 2026 because England and Croatia were beginning their World Cup Group L campaign in Dallas that day, giving supporters a visible pre-match stage.
What to watch
Watch the match result and the next Group L fixtures on 23 June: England v Ghana and Panama v Croatia. Those games will show whether the opener was a launchpad or an early complication.
What to do
For Belgian viewers, the practical point is scheduling rather than policy: North American kick-off times can fall late in Belgium, and the expanded format means more simultaneous storylines. Fans planning travel to later rounds should also expect long distances between venues and high demand around European teams.
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This story was assembled from verified evidence, with its sources and reasoning recorded as it was written.