England will play New Zealand in an international friendly on Saturday in Tampa as part of their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The match kicks off at 21:00 BST and will be shown live on ITV1.
John Stones said the fixture forms part of a progression for the squad. “For us as lads, it’s a chance to get used to each other out there on the pitch, create connections and take what we do during the weeks leading up to those first games out from the training pitch,” he told England’s official channel. England will follow the game with a match against Costa Rica in Orlando before opening their World Cup campaign against Croatia on June 17. New Zealand arrive after a 4-0 defeat to Haiti in Miami, with head coach Darren Bazeley describing the performance as lacking effectiveness. Several players are in doubt for England, including John Stones and Ben White, while New Zealand will be without some key figures due to injury. Predicted line-ups include James Trafford in goal for England and Chris Wood leading the attack for New Zealand.
