England enter their penultimate World Cup warm-up carrying the weight of a painful spring — a 1-1 draw with Uruguay and a historic 1-0 defeat to Japan, the first Asian side ever to beat England in senior men’s football, have left Three Lions supporters uneasy. Thomas Tuchel’s side must now find their rhythm fast. Standing in their way on Saturday is New Zealand, a team making only their third-ever World Cup appearance, fresh off a 4-0 hammering by Haiti. With the tournament weeks away, both sides need answers — and this Tampa showdown offers a final chance to find them.
Team News & Injuries
England Team News & Injury Updates
Tuchel is without several key Arsenal players who have been granted extended rest following their involvement in last weekend’s Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Eberechi Eze, and Noni Madueke will all miss this fixture and are only expected to rejoin the England camp next week.
Their absence opens up competition for places, particularly at right wing, where Morgan Rogers, Anthony Gordon, or Marcus Rashford could all be deployed. Despite those missing pieces, Tuchel is expected to field a strong side with Harry Kane leading the line and Jude Bellingham in the No. 10 role. Rotations are anticipated in the second half to manage fitness and give fringe players a final audition.

England Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1): Pickford; James, Konsa, Guéhi, O’Reilly; Anderson, Mainoo; Rashford, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane.

New Zealand Team News & Injury Updates
Midfielders Ryan Thomas and Joe Bell are both sidelined through injury, with only Bell carrying a slim chance of returning in time. Their absence hands potential starting spots to Marko Stamenic and Matthew Garbett in the middle of the park.
Following the 4-0 defeat to Haiti, manager Darren Bazeley is expected to make changes. Max Crocombe is in line to replace Alex Paulsen in goal, while veteran centre-back Michael Boxall could come in to provide leadership and experience at the back. Ben Old may also replace Jesse Randall in a wide role.

New Zealand Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1): Crocombe; Payne, Bindon, Boxall, Cacace; Bell, Stamenic; Just, Singh, Old; Wood.

Stats & Head-to-Head Record
Head-to-Head Record

June 1991: England 1–0 New Zealand (International Friendly)
June 1991: England 2–0 New Zealand (International Friendly)

Saturday’s match ends a 35-year gap between these two nations. England have won both previous meetings, both played within five days of each other in June 1991.
Key Stats

New Zealand’s recent run of poor form includes 8 losses in their last 10 games across all tournaments.
England’s defeat to Japan ended a 21-game scoring streak across all competitions.
This will be New Zealand’s third-ever men’s World Cup appearance, following group-stage exits in 1982 and 2010 — both without a single win.

Match Information & Broadcast
England’s penultimate warm-up test for the 2026 World Cup takes place on Saturday evening. While Thomas Tuchel’s side has another exhibition contest against Costa Rica on the horizon, this midweek match represents the All Whites’ final chance to build momentum before their Mundial campaign commences in Group G.
How to Watch England vs. New Zealand on TV, Live Stream
The match will kick off on Saturday, June 6 at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. BST at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. Here is how you can tune in:

United Kingdom: ITV 1 UK, ITVX, STV Scotland, STV Player
United States: Fox Soccer Plus, fuboTV, ViX, FOX One
Canada: DAZN Canada, fuboTV Canada

Match Analysis Summary
This fixture serves as a critical reset button for an England squad that has recently suffered from a familiar sense of pre-tournament pessimism. Tuchel’s failed springtime experiments will likely be scrapped as he looks to solidify his preferred tactical approach and evaluate fringe players like Elliot Anderson and Morgan Rogers in a competitive environment.
For New Zealand, the match is about finding stability and confidence after a heavy defeat to Haiti. Despite easily handling their Oceania qualification opponents, Darren Bazeley’s men have struggled against stronger international sides. Facing a team of England’s caliber will be a daunting but necessary test as they prepare for difficult World Cup group stage assignments against Belgium, Iran, and Egypt.
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