England 3-0 Costa Rica Highlights, International Friendly 2026: Three Lions End Warm-Up With Clinical Victory

Good evening, everyone. We are building up to the start of the friendly fixture between England and Costa Rica. Watch this space for live updates!

The highly anticipated international friendly between England and Costa Rica, scheduled to take place at the Inter&Co Stadium, has been officially delayed following a series of severe thunderstorms that moved through the region.

Local match officials made the decision to pause proceedings shortly before the scheduled kickoff time as a dangerous weather system brought heavy rainfall, high winds, and frequent lightning strikes to the Orlando area. Safety protocols for both the players and the tens of thousands of fans in attendance require a mandatory clearance of the pitch and surrounding stands when lightning is detected within a certain radius of the stadium.

The intense downpour has left the pitch surface heavily waterlogged, raising concerns about player safety and the ability to maintain standard ball movement. Ground staff are currently working to clear standing water as quickly as possible.

ans inside the stadium are being advised to follow the instructions of stadium security and remain in designated shelter areas until the lightning warning is lifted.

Match organizers are currently monitoring weather radar in real-time. A decision on whether the match will proceed or be abandoned will be made once the storm cell has passed and the pitch is inspected for safety.

Reports from Orlando confirm that the England squad has arrived safely at the Inter&Co Stadium ahead of their final pre-World Cup friendly against Costa Rica. However, despite the team's arrival, the scheduled 9:00 PM BST kick-off has been officially delayed to (4:00 PM local time) due to severe weather conditions.

While initial reports suggested a delay of at least an hour, the situation remains highly fluid. The stadium has been impacted by a heavy tropical thunderstorm, resulting in a waterlogged pitch and, more importantly, significant safety concerns regarding frequent lightning in the immediate vicinity of the venue.

Under standard FIFA and stadium safety protocols, the presence of lightning within a set radius triggers a mandatory "lightning clock"—a 30-minute delay period that resets with every new strike detected. Consequently, while officials are working to prepare the pitch, the exact start time remains uncertain. Fans and personnel inside the stadium were instructed to take shelter in concourse areas to avoid the storm's peak intensity. Organizers are continuing to monitor the weather closely, and there is an ongoing possibility that the match could be further delayed or potentially cancelled if the dangerous conditions persist through the evening.

The final warm-up match for England against Costa Rica remains in a state of flux as severe weather continues to disrupt proceedings at Inter&Co Stadium. While the target kickoff is now set for 5:00 PM local time, the match remains heavily dependent on the weather conditions remaining stable over the coming 80 minutes.

Tournament officials are currently tracking an active storm cell situated approximately 15 miles from the stadium. While there is optimism that the core of the storm will bypass the venue, the situation is precarious. Under strict safety protocols, any lightning detected within an eight-mile radius of the stadium triggers an automatic 30-minute delay, resetting the clock. Ground staff are on high alert, and spectators are advised to monitor official stadium announcements as the situation evolves.

The pitch at Inter&Co Stadium has demonstrated remarkable drainage capacity following the earlier torrential downpour. Despite the field being completely submerged under an absolute deluge just 45 minutes prior, the surface has cleared efficiently and is currently reported to be in perfectly playable condition. There are no ongoing concerns regarding the integrity or playability of the pitch itself.

While the playing surface has recovered, the primary cause for concern remains the threat of lightning in the immediate area. Although the heavy rainfall has eased significantly, tournament officials are maintaining strict safety protocols due to the ongoing electrical risk in the region. The match remains under observation, with safety officials prioritizing the well-being of players and staff against the potential for further lightning strikes, which would necessitate immediate further delays.

Infantino said it was “unfortunate” that Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry to the U.S. and said people “should chill.”

He said FIFA cannot dictate to governments who to let into their countries, though it is working “behind the scenes.”

“We always try to make the situation as positive as possible and to find solutions," he said. "Sometimes we manage, other times not.”

“We don’t live on the moon, we live on planet Earth,” he said.

Infantino praised FIFA for working through details that allow Iran to play in the tournament at a time the U.S. is at war with Iran. The Iranian team moved its training camp from the U.S. to Mexico and will fly to the U.S. before matches.

“I don’t know who else would have been able to ensure in these circumstances ... Iran could come and play,” Infantino said.

Infantino claimed the tournament will be “the biggest event probably in the history of mankind.”

FIFA priced tickets starting at $140 for the 48-nation, 104-game tournament that starts Thursday and priced regular seats up to $8,680 for the July 19 final in New Jersey. It raised prices for the final to $10,990 and then $32,970. After criticism, FIFA offered a small amount of $60 tickets to national federations for their regular supporters. He said Wednesday 130,000 tickets were offered at that price, out of 6 to 7 million total.

Infantino said the average ticket price was under $500 for the tournament and was comparable to other U.S. sports during their playoffs, a claim that while true for resale prices does not appear to be accurate for list prices. He said he was unconcerned about investigations by attorneys general in California, New Jersey, New York and Texas.

“We are very relaxed about it because before starting to sell 6.5 million or 7 million tickets we check what we do with the best lawyers,” he said. “We welcome every investigation.”

England boss Thomas Tuchel reacts to Sky Sports

"It gives us a little bit of a taste of what can happen in this World Cup. We were aware of that before, now we experience it. No problem, it should not be an excuse to lose our mood or patience or hunger to play the game. 

"We realised it when we were still at the hotel. It was easy. We just said 'half an hour later on the bus and let's go'. 

"It didn't cross my mind it was so severe (the game could have been called off). We were aware it can be thunder and lighting on some days but I didn't think we'd miss the whole game. 

"[The pitch] seems quite dry, surprisingly dry for the amount of water that came down, but they know what they're doing. It seems good to play."

The England vs Costa Rica International Friendly 2026 will be available for live streaming on the SonyLIV mobile app and website. The live telecast will be available on the Sony Sports Network channels.

The wait is finally nearing its end in Orlando, as anticipation builds for the delayed kick-off between England and Costa Rica at the Inter&Co Stadium. With just 10 minutes remaining until the action gets underway, this final warm-up fixture represents a critical juncture for Thomas Tuchel and his squad. As the Three Lions fine-tune their preparations for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup, this match offers a vital opportunity to solidify their tactical approach and confirm their starting XI before the high-stakes tournament begins.

England: Jordan Pickford; Reece James, Ezri Konsa, John Stones, Nico O’Reilly; Elliot Anderson, Declan Rice; Noni Madueke, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon; Harry Kane.

Costa Rica: Patrick Sequeira; Darril Araya, Fernan Faerron, Jeyland Mitchell, Shawn Johnson; Aaron Salazar; Josimar Alcocer, Andrey Soto, Orlando Galo, Carlos Mora; Manfred Ugalde.

The atmosphere at the Inter&Co Stadium in Orlando has finally shifted from anticipation to action. Following a brief but intense delay due to earlier severe weather, the waiting is officially over. The national anthems have concluded, and referee Facundo Tello has signaled for the match to begin, officially setting the England vs Costa Rica friendly under way.

England signaled their intent with a sustained spell of possession that nearly produced an early breakthrough. After nearly two minutes of controlled build-up play, Anthony Gordon cleverly sold a dummy to open up space for Jude Bellingham. Bellingham seized the opportunity, unleashing a strike that took a deflection and zipped narrowly past the bottom-right corner, marking a sharp and promising attacking sequence from Thomas Tuchel’s side.

GOAL! England strike early in Orlando, taking a 1-0 lead just nine minutes into the contest. Anthony Gordon, making a strong case for the starting left-wing role, showcased his quality by breezing past his marker to reach the byline before cutting the ball back for Declan Rice. Rice’s first-time effort took a slight deflection, looping over goalkeeper Patrick Sequeira to put Thomas Tuchel’s side ahead and reward their fast start to the match.

England nearly doubled their advantage from a set-piece as Declan Rice whipped a dangerous corner to the back post. Harry Kane expertly steered the ball back into the six-yard box toward an unmarked Ezri Konsa, but the defender failed to make a clean connection with his header, allowing Costa Rica to breathe a sigh of relief as they scrambled to clear the danger.

England continue to dominate with relentless pressure, carving out another high-quality chance through their right-sided partnership of Anderson and Reece James. After a dangerous cross from Anderson was partially cleared by Mitchell, the ball fell invitingly to Noni Madueke at the edge of the box. Madueke connected with a crisp, left-footed volley that forced Patrick Sequeira into a smart save, parrying the ball behind for a corner. It has been total one-way traffic in Orlando as the Three Lions hunt for a second goal.

HOW HAS HE MISSED! England should be two goals to the good after a golden opportunity went begging. A swift turnover in possession allowed Harry Kane to slip Jude Bellingham through, who immediately threaded a perfect pass to send Noni Madueke clean through on goal. The Arsenal winger skillfully rounded goalkeeper Patrick Sequeira, but with the goal at his mercy, his strike agonizingly clipped the right-hand post and stayed out. It was a staggering miss that leaves the Three Lions wondering how they haven't extended their lead.

PENALTY OVERTURNED! England were awarded a spot-kick moments before halftime when referee Facundo Tello initially penalized Johnson for a challenge on Anthony Gordon after a brilliant Harry Kane through ball. However, following a tense VAR review and a personal check at the pitch-side monitor, the referee overturned her original decision. The official deemed that Johnson’s challenge was not a foul, and England’s penalty claim was rescinded, keeping the score at 1-0 as the teams head toward the interval.

England head into the half-time break with a 1-0 lead over Costa Rica in their final World Cup warm-up. Thomas Tuchel’s side dominated the opening 45 minutes, breaking the deadlock in the ninth minute when Declan Rice’s deflected effort found the net following an Anthony Gordon cut-back. While England have been in total control—evidenced by their commanding 1.57 xG compared to Costa Rica's 0.03—they missed a golden opportunity to extend the lead when Noni Madueke struck the post with the goal gaping. The half concluded with a moment of drama as a penalty awarded for a challenge on Gordon was overturned following a VAR review, keeping the scoreline tight as the teams head to the dressing rooms.

CLOSE AGAIN! Harry Kane continues to dictate play from deep, dropping into his own half to thread a sublime diagonal ball into the path of Noni Madueke. The Arsenal winger picked up the ball and danced past his marker to create a shooting opportunity, but his curling left-footed effort drifted just inches wide of the top-left corner. England are knocking on the door once more as they look to add to their narrow lead.

England’s set-piece dominance continues to cause problems, with Declan Rice picking out Ezri Konsa at the back post from another corner. Konsa nodded the ball back across the danger zone, but O'Reilly was unable to connect with the header to apply the finishing touch. The pressure remained on as Anthony Gordon quickly regained possession, beating Quiros before whipping a dangerous delivery into the box, but goalkeeper Patrick Sequeira was equal to the task, punching the ball clear to keep Costa Rica’s deficit at just one goal.

Thomas Tuchel has rung the changes to freshen up his side, signaling a tactical shift as the second half progresses. Dean Henderson takes over for Jordan Pickford in goal, while Eberechi Eze replaces goalscorer Declan Rice. In a notable change of approach, Morgan Rogers enters the fray for captain Harry Kane, leaving the Three Lions without a recognized striker on the pitch. Bukayo Saka replaces Noni Madueke on the wing, Marc Guehi takes over for John Stones in a largely untested defensive line, and Djed Spence is introduced at full-back for Reece James. With Costa Rica having managed only a single shot all evening, these substitutions offer Tuchel a chance to experiment with his squad depth during this final World Cup preparation.

PENALTY AND GOAL! England have doubled their lead to 2-0 after a period of sustained pressure. The opportunity arose when Jude Bellingham navigated through a crowd of defenders before setting up Eberechi Eze for a strike that appeared to be blocked by Araya’s outstretched arm. Referee Facundo Tello immediately pointed to the penalty spot, and Anthony Gordon stepped up to emphatically hammer the spot-kick into the top-left corner. The strike proved too powerful for substitute goalkeeper Madriz, giving the Three Lions a deserved cushion in Orlando.

WHAT A CHANCE! England nearly added a third after Eberechi Eze threaded a magnificent pass to put Morgan Rogers clean through on goal. The Aston Villa forward had only the goalkeeper to beat and looked to curl a right-footed shot into the far corner, but he agonizingly sent his effort just wide of the post. It was a golden opportunity to extend the lead that ultimately went begging for the Three Lions.

GOAL! England extend their lead to 3-0, effectively putting the match out of reach. Shortly after Marcus Rashford threatened with a dangerous effort, Morgan Rogers cut in from the left flank and unleashed a dipping strike that goalkeeper Madriz could only parry into the center of the box. Ollie Watkins was perfectly positioned to capitalize, nodding home the rebound from point-blank range for an easy finish that caps off a dominant second-half display.

CLOSE! Bukayo Saka showcased his trademark footwork on the right flank, expertly bamboozling his defender before unleashing a powerful right-footed strike across the face of the goal. The delivery whipped dangerously through the area, but Morgan Rogers and Marcus Rashford were unable to react in time to turn it home, leaving the ball to trickle harmlessly out for a goal-kick.

England wrapped up their final World Cup preparations with a dominant 3-0 victory over Costa Rica in Orlando. After a productive first half that saw Declan Rice open the scoring, the Three Lions maintained their intensity after the break, extending their lead through an Anthony Gordon penalty and a close-range finish from Ollie Watkins.

The closing stages saw England continue to hunt for a fourth; following a sharp move involving Djed Spence, Eberechi Eze, and Marcus Rashford, Ollie Watkins saw a close-range effort smothered by goalkeeper Madriz. Moments later, Morgan Rogers fired just over the bar following a well-worked set-piece routine. Ultimately, it was a comprehensive performance from Thomas Tuchel’s side, who head into the tournament in commanding form after a night of one-way traffic in Florida.