England's most unforgettable World Cup opening matches, from Rob Green nightmare to Harry Kane heroics

England's 2026 World Cup campaign gets underway against Croatia on June 17th, with Thomas Tuchel's side hoping to make the perfect start in Dallas, Texas.

Opening matches often set the tone for an entire tournament. Some become springboards for memorable runs, while others create drama, controversy or moments that linger in the memory for decades.

Ahead of the Three Lions’ latest opener, Sports Mole revisits the most unforgettable first World Cup matches that England have played.

England 2-0 Chile (Brazil 1950)

England's first-ever World Cup match remains one of the most significant games in the nation's football history.

Having skipped the first three editions, England finally made their tournament debut in Brazil and arrived as one of the favourites. Goals from Stan Mortensen and Wilf Mannion secured a comfortable victory over Chile in Rio de Janeiro.

While the match itself is often overshadowed by the infamous defeat to the United States that followed days later, it remains the moment England's World Cup story truly began.

England 3-1 France (Spain 1982)

Few England openers have exploded into life quite like this one.

Just 27 seconds after kick-off, Bryan Robson smashed England into the lead against France, scoring one of the fastest goals in World Cup history. Robson added a second later in the game as Ron Greenwood's side produced an impressive 3-1 victory over one of Europe's strongest sides.

The win set the tone for a superb group stage, with England going on to win all three matches for the first time at a World Cup.

England 2-0 Tunisia (France 1998)

After the disappointment of failing to qualify for USA '94, England returned to the World Cup stage in France, determined to make an impact.

An Alan Shearer header settled early nerves before Paul Scholes wrapped up a 2-0 victory over Tunisia. It wasn’t a thriller, but it marked the beginning of a new era featuring a generation of players - David Beckham, Michael Owen, Scholes - who would define English football for the next decade.

For many supporters, it was simply a relief to be back on the biggest stage.

England 1-1 USA (South Africa 2010)

No list of England openers is complete without this moment of World Cup infamy.

England entered South Africa with genuine hopes of challenging for the Jules Rimet trophy and appeared to be cruising after Steven Gerrard's early goal, then came one of the most infamous moments in English football history.

Clint Dempsey's harmless effort slipped through goalkeeper Rob Green's hands and rolled into the net, gifting the United States an equaliser. The mistake dominated headlines around the world and transformed what should have been a routine opening victory into a national talking point.

More than a decade on, it remains one of the most shocking moments in England’s World Cup history.

England 2-1 Tunisia (Russia 2018)

At Russia 2018, Harry Kane ensured England avoided another opening‑night setback, delivering their first World Cup opener win in 12 years.

After giving England an early lead, Kane saw two apparent fouls on him inside the penalty area go unpunished before Tunisia equalised from the spot.

But deep into stoppage time, the England captain rose to head home the winner, sparking wild celebrations and launching a campaign that would end in the semi‑finals for the first time in 28 years.

It was the first sign that Gareth Southgate’s young side had resilience to match their talent.

England 6-2 Iran (Qatar 2022)

If England wanted to make an early statement in Qatar, they certainly succeeded.

Jude Bellingham opened the scoring with his first World Cup goal, Bukayo Saka struck twice, and Harry Kane orchestrated the attack as England dismantled Iran in one of the most impressive opening performances in the country's World Cup history.

By half-time, England were already 3-0 ahead, and the eventual 6-2 scoreline represented their biggest opening-match victory at a World Cup.

It immediately established Southgate's men as serious contenders.

Can England add another famous opener against Croatia?

World Cup opening matches have delivered everything from historic firsts and stunning victories to heartbreak and controversy for England supporters.

Next week, a familiar face in Croatia will become the latest nation standing in the way of a positive start.

Whether it produces another Bryan Robson moment, a Harry Kane winner or something entirely unexpected, history suggests England's World Cup openers are rarely short of drama.