England’s meeting with New Zealand was still goalless deep into the first half at 9pm UK time, even as Marcus Rashford kept trying to force the issue. His curling strike from 25 yards in the 40th minute bent wide of the right-hand post, and a second effort a minute later also missed the upright.
That is why people are asking where are England playing today: this was a World Cup 2026 warm-up friendly, and it offered a live look at how England were shaping up before the tournament. Gareth Southgate’s side were building pressure, but New Zealand goalkeeper Crocombe and a last-ditch interception kept turning promising moves into frustration.
The pattern had been set before Rashford’s shots. England unfurled a training-ground move in the 21st minute, Djed Spence tried from distance a minute later, and the sides paused for drinks at 24 minutes while both coaches gave instructions. New Zealand then found a rare opening when Garbett broke down the middle in the 27th minute, but Jordan Pickford parried his shot away.
From there, England kept asking questions. Kobbie Mainoo missed wide and high from the left-hand edge of the D in the 30th minute, Ollie Watkins chased Pickford’s long ball down the right and fizzed a low cross into the middle two minutes later, and Harry Kane powered a header goalwards in the 34th minute only for Crocombe to tip it over the bar. Reece James? No — it was Spence again down the left in the 39th minute, winning a throw and a corner, before Rashford took over with the game’s sharpest spell.
He dropped deep in the 44th minute to quarterback a move and tried to find Watkins with a forward pass, only for Crocombe to cut it out. Three additional minutes were signalled before the break, and England went in still searching for a goal. The first half had answered the immediate question of where England were playing today; it had not yet answered whether the warm-up would produce the finish they wanted.
