England have confirmed two international friendlies in June as part of their final preparations for the World Cup, where they will face Ghana in Group L.
The England Football Association announced the friendlies on February 11, 2026 through official channels and press releases.
Thomas Tuchel’s squad will take on New Zealand on June 6, followed by a match against Costa Rica on June 10 – just 24 hours before the tournament begins.
The June fixtures follow earlier preparation matches scheduled for March, with England set to play Uruguay on the 27th and Japan on the 31st.
The Three Lions have been placed in Group L alongside Ghana, Croatia and Panama, as they seek to end a 60-year wait for major silverware dating back to 1966.
Ghana have also arranged warm-up fixtures, with matches against Austria scheduled for March 27 and Germany three days later on March 30. The Black Stars will kick off their World Cup campaign on Wednesday, June 17 against Panama, followed by encounters with England on June 23 and Croatia on June 27.
Ghana coach Otto Addo has named England as the group’s strongest team, saying: “For sure, England is the favourite in that group.”
Ghana’s recent World Cup history shows back-to-back group stage eliminations in their last two tournament appearances.