England v Croatia World Cup 2018 semi-final live on TV: time, date and channel for England's crunch game revealed
Now that the Three Lions have come out top in their game against Sweden, what time will their next match be? And where can you watch it?
England are storming the World Cup and having their best tournament since Italia 1990. But now that they've beaten Sweden in their quarter-final, when will they play next? And against who?
Here’s everything you need to know…
Who will England play against in the World Cup semi-finals?
The Three Lions will face a match with Croatia. Check the full World Cup 2018 schedule here.
When will England play Croatia in the World Cup 2018 semi-finals?
England will play at Luzhniki on Wednesday 11 July.
What time is kick off?
The match begins at 7pm BST
What channel is the game on?
The match will air on ITV, with the broadcaster having first dibs of the semi-final games.
Can I stream the match online?
Yes, UK viewers can the simulcast of the England v Croatia match on the ITV Hub.
What kit will England be wearing for their World Cup semi-final?
To avoid clashing with Croatia, England will be in their all-white kit (as opposed to the white and blue kit they played in against Panama and Belgium). They're played both their previous knockout matches in their red away kit.
This all-white colouring might cause concern for some. Although England have an impressive 17-game undefeated streak in red, their worst moments have been in all-white: they lost to Iceland in 2016 in the kit and failed to win any of their three games wearing the colours in the last World Cup.
Who’s in the squads for England and Croatia?
England
Goalkeepers: Jack Butland (Stoke), Jordan Pickford (Everton), Nick Pope (Burnley)
Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Fabian Delph (Manchester City), Phil Jones (Manchester United), Harry Maguire (Leicester), Danny Rose (Tottenham), John Stones (Manchester City), Kieran Trippier (Tottenham), Kyle Walker (Manchester City), Ashley Young (Manchester United)
Midfielders: Dele Alli (Tottenham), Eric Dier (Tottenham), Jordan Henderson (Liverpool), Jesse Lingard (Manchester United), Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea)
Forwards: Harry Kane (Tottenham), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Raheem Sterling (Manchester City), Jamie Vardy (Leicester), Danny Welbeck (Arsenal)
Croatia
Goalkeepers: Danijel Subasic (Monaco), Lovre Kalinic (Gent), Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo).
Defenders: Vedran Corluka (Lokomotiv Moscow), Domagoj Vida (Besiktas), Ivan Strinic (Sampdoria), Dejan Lovren (Liverpool), Sime Vrsaljko (Atletico Madrid), Josip Pivaric (Dynamo Kiev), Tin Jedvaj (Bayer Leverkusen), Duje Caleta-Car (Red Bull Salzburg).
Midfielders: Luka Modric (Real Madrid), Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona), Mateo Kovacic (Real Madrid), Milan Badelj (Fiorentina), Marcelo Brozovic (Inter), Filip Bradaric (Rijeka).
Forwards: Mario Mandzukic (Juventus), Ivan Perisic (Inter), Andrej Kramaric (Hoffenheim), Marko Pjaca (Schalke), Ante Rebic (Eintracht).
How did England and Croatia get to the semi-final?
England
After a last-minute winner from captain Harry Kane, the squad won their first group game against Tunisia 2-1. This followed a staggering 6-1 victory over Panama, before a 1-0 loss against Belgium saw them finish runners-up in Group G. Then, in the round of 16, England bested Colombia via a penalty shootout (the first time they’ve ever won one at the World Cup).
Their last game saw Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions comfortably beat Sweden 2-0, with goals from Harry McGuire and Dele Alli.
Croatia
Croatia have been dubbed ‘the ones to watch’. Their liquid football during the group stage was a lesson in how the sport should be played. The Croats barely broke a sweat against Nigeria and Iceland, while their 3-0 dismantling of Argentina was so brutal it probably shouldn't have aired before the 9pm watershed.
Their form hasn’t transferred to the knockout stages, however. A tepid performance against Denmark required penalties to get them through, with Croatia also requiring a shootout against Russia to see them into the semis.
What happened the last time England played Croatia?
Since 2000, the Three Lions have faced Croatia in five competitive matches, winning three and losing two.
Although not a great record, the sides’ last meeting, a 2010 World Cup qualifier, ended in a 5-1 victory for England. And in an earlier 2010 World Cup qualifier, the match finished with a similar 4-1 win for England.
However, Croatia have cost England dearly in crucial games. Most significantly, they beat Steve McClaren (with his infamous umbrella) and his side 3-2 in a Euro 2008 qualifier that denied England a spot in the tournament.
England and Croatia have only played once at a major tournament, at Euro 2004. England won the group stage game 4-2, thanks to two goals from then-18-year-old Wayne Rooney.
Although England have finished a World Cup as champions before (in 1966, of course), Croatia have never won the tournament. However, since they became an independent state in 1990 (the country was formerly part of Yugoslavia beforehand), Croatia achieved a third-place finish in 1998.
Are any players injured?
On England’s side, it looks as if there are no major injuries to worry about. Striker Jamie Vardy has declared himself fully fit after overcoming a groin problem and Jordan Henderson is expected to shake off a tight hamstring he picked up during England’s last game.
Right-back Sime Vrsaljko could be a concern for Croatia – the Atletico Madrid man hobbled off in the 97th minute during the side’s recent win over Russia. Goalkeeper Danijel Subasic might also be a concern after he required lengthy treatment towards the end of normal time for a suspected hamstring problem. However, he wasn’t substituted and carried Croatia to another penalty shootout win.
Who are the players to look out for?
Although relatively quiet in the game against Sweden, England skipper Harry Kane is still openly vying for the tournament’s golden boot. He’s proved deadly at penalties, a threat at England’s revered set-pieces, and has somehow managed to appear level-headed despite the dual responsibilities of being England’s captain and main goal threat.
For Croatia, Luka Modric is a man who was seemingly born with the ball at his feet and an innate knowledge of what to do with it. He is one of the greatest midfielders of his generation and Modric will be desperate to show that.
Who could the winner face in the final?
The victor of this match will go on to face France. The side beat Belgium 1-0 in the competition's other semi-final.
The final will be held at the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow at 4pm BST on Sunday 15th July, with the game airing both on ITV and BBC1.
What happens to England if they lose against Croatia?
They’ll still play one more game in Russia: the third-place play-off. It’s here they’ll battle Belgium for the tournament’s bronze prize.
The third-place play-off will be held in St Petersburg at 3pm BST on Saturday, July 14 on ITV
When did England last win the World Cup?
The Three Lions last lifted the trophy (then the Jules Rimet cup) in 1966 after beating West Germany 4-2. To get to the final, England beat Portugal 2-1 in the semis.
When was England last in a World Cup semi-final?
A whole 28 years ago at Italia 1990. A team of England players including Gary Lineker, John Barnes and Paul Gascoigne made it to the semi-finals after beating Belgium in the round of 16 and Cameroon in the quarters.
However, England couldn't make it to the final, losing against West Germany on penalties.
