Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

Thomas Tuchel's recent selections have not been anywhere near what could be considered a World Cup starting line-up. In Tampa on Saturday he was without key Arsenal figures and certain starters Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka, afforded a rest after their Premier League title-winning exertions and the Champions League final loss to Paris St-Germain.

"To put it in context, a lot of our players last played together in November," said Tuchel. "That's half a year ago. We had four training sessions together, then mixed the team up completely."

Tuchel has to take his own share of responsibility for this situation, having made some experimental selections leading up to these final preparations, including in the friendlies against Uruguay and Japan at Wembley in March.

Manchester City's Phil Foden played up front against Japan. In the Uruguay game, Tuchel fielded Foden, Everton's James Garner and Spurs striker Dominic Solanke. None of those made his World Cup squad.

Ivan Toney came on for the second half in Tampa after spending a year in the England wilderness, following a three-minute appearance in the friendly defeat against Senegal at the City Ground, Nottingham.

This, in effect, makes it even more important that Tuchel puts a line-up on the pitch against Costa Rica that is as close as possible to the one that will face Croatia. It will be an opportunity to find rhythm and momentum and build combinations before that tournament opener.

Let's be real, England's last warm-up match against New Zealand was more like a training game.

A fairly comfortable 1-0 win for the Three Lions but one in which 22 players got minutes with boss Thomas Tuchel playing two entirely different XI's in each half.

The positives = the win, no injuries and 90 minutes in hot, match conditions.

But Tuchel received some criticism for still not playing a competitive XI that are likely to start England's first World Cup Group L game.

It looks like we have got that tonight so, is the time for experiments over?

It is just over 24 hours until the World Cup begins with the opening match of the 2026 tournament kicking off at 20:00 BST on Thursday.

Mexico take on South Africa at the Mexico City Stadium after the opening ceremony which will include performances from Shakira and Burna Boy.

Preparations are well under way in the capital as the United States, Mexico and Canada gear up for the pinnacle football tournament.

It's time to get excited, people.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

And with that, shall we talk about the actual football now?

There's a World Cup happening tomorrow, apparently.

The ground is starting to fill up a bit now - and it's incredible how well the pitch appears to have drained after so much of it was under water just an hour or so ago.

Image source, Gary Flintoff

Hurray!

We have confirmation that kick-off will now be at 22:00 BST. That's 5pm local time. A delay of one hour to the original kick-off time.

Back to the situation in Florida as we await confirmation of the kick-off time. We should have an update on that very soon with the pitch inspection taking place around 10 minutes ago.

Word is that the pitch has drained remarkably well. Let's hope that means we'll be getting started fairly soon.

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

The big sub-plot to England head coach Thomas Tuchel's selection to start the World Cup against Croatia on 17 June is whether Jude Bellingham or Morgan Rogers plays in the "number 10" role behind captain Harry Kane.

Rogers started against New Zealand but Bellingham gets the nod tonight against Costa Rica - so we can expect the debate to continue.

Bukayo Saka is an injury worry with an Achilles tendon problem so Tuchel is managing the minutes for one of his most important players very carefully. He starts on the bench and Arsenal team-mate Noni Madueke starts.

Image source, Getty Images

Thoughts on that team news, folks?

Get in touch in all the usual ways.

England boss Thomas Tuchel makes wholesale changes to the XI that started the match against New Zealand on Saturday with Declan Rice returning to the fold after joining up with the England camp on Sunday.

Tuchel did play two different XI's for that warm-up match but this seems closer to the line-up that could start England's opening Group L game against Croatia.

Jude Bellingham also starts having played in the second-half XI on Saturday while Noni Madueke is favoured over Bukayo Saka as the winger's fitness continues to be managed.

England XI: Pickford, Konsa, O'Reilly, Rice, Stones, Anderson, Kane, Bellingham, Gordon, Madueke, James.

Subs: Guehi, Saka, Rashford, Livramento, D Henderson, J Henderson, Burn, Mainoo, Rogers, Watkins, Eze, Toney, Trafford, Spence, Quansah.

Turning to the actual football for a moment, team news is here...

A reminder that essentially each time a lightning strike happens within a eight-mile radius, a mandatory 30-minute countdown begins.

If a full 30 minutes has elapsed, the supporters can go to their seats and the ball will start rolling, pardon the pun.

As it stands fans are making their way to their seats.

Ian Dennis
BBC Radio 5 Live senior football reporter at the Inter&Co Stadium

The England team are due to arrive at 20:30 BST.

If it goes to plan it will be an hour's delay – 22:00 BST UK time.

Kick-off time to be confirmed.

Image source, PA Media

Lee Dixon
Former England and Arsenal defender on ITV

Image source, Reuters

It is brightening up, but it is certainly still raining.

It is a funny one with a delayed kick off - everyone thinks it upsets the players. Yes, it is not ideal, but we have been there and done it before.

When the game kicks off, it won't make one bit of difference. They're all ready to play in the World Cup. It is the last game, they'll be fine.

I think it is a balancing act. The good preparation that Thomas Tuchel is looking for is probably weather which is humid and hot. There was a risk of thunderstorms.

It is a balancing act, and he thinks it is worth the risk.

Fans are now being allowed back into the Inter & Co stadium having had to wait in the concourses because of the lightning.

There will be a pitch inspection in the next 10 minutes and then a kick-off time will be confirmed.

Image source, PA Media

This is not the first time this has happened in these pre-tournament build-up matches.

Last week Saudi Arabia's World Cup warm-up game against Puerto Rico in Texas was halted for nearly two hours because of extreme weather.

The match at the Q2 Stadium in Austin was stopped in the 21st minute as thunderstorms and lightning forced players off the pitch, with messages telling fans to seek shelter.

There were a number of lightning strikes before the match eventually resumed.