Croatia have officially announced their 26-player squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Under head coach Zlatko Dalic, Croatia’s qualification campaign for the 2026 World Cup was relatively smooth, featuring only one draw against the Czech Republic. Although the team may not be listed among the pre-tournament favourites and might not boast the most star-studded lineup on paper, Croatia have a history of defying expectations on the world stage.

Since making their World Cup debut in 1998, the Vatreni have reached the semi-finals on three occasions, including their historic run to the final in 2018, where they were defeated by France. Replicating that remarkable achievement will be a tall order this time around.

This is still a strong Croatian outfit, anchored by veteran midfielder Luka Modric, who now has 196 international caps. Manchester City duo Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic have both returned from injury in time for the tournament, while experienced names such as Ivan Perisic, Andrej Kramaric, and Dominik Livakovic bring further depth and leadership.

The next generation of Croatian talent is also represented through Martin Baturina, Luka Sucic, and Petar Sucic, all of whom will be eager to make their mark in midfield as potential long-term successors to Modric.

However, the absence of a proven striker could be a concern. Croatia managed to grind out results without Mario Mandzukic in 2022, reaching the semi-finals, just as they did in 2018 with three knockout victories in extra time. But the formula didn’t work as well at Euro 2024, where they were eliminated in the group stage.

With a challenging group ahead, the question remains: which version of Croatia will show up this time?

Goalkeepers:

Dominik Livakovic (Dinamo Zagreb), Dominik Kotarski (Copenhagen), Ivor Pandur (Hull City)

Defenders:

Josko Gvardiol (Manchester City), Duje Caleta-Car (Real Sociedad), Josip Sutalo (Ajax), Josip Stanisic (Bayern Munich), Marin Pongracic (Fiorentina), Martin Erlic (Midtjylland), Luka Vuskovic (Hamburger SV)

Midfielders:

Luka Modric (Milan), Mateo Kovacic (Manchester City), Mario Pasalic (Atalanta), Nikola Vlasic (Torino), Luka Sucic (Real Sociedad), Martin Baturina (Como), Kristijan Jakic (FC Augsburg), Petar Sucic (Inter Milan), Nikola Moro (Bologna), Toni Fruk (Rijeka)

Forwards:

Ivan Perisic (PSV Eindhoven), Andrej Kramaric (TSG Hoffenheim), Ante Budimir (Osasuna), Marco Pasalic (Orlando City), Petar Musa (FC Dallas), Igor Matanovic (SC Freiburg)

Upcoming Fixtures:

June 2, 2026: Croatia vs Belgium, Stadion Rujevica, Rijeka, Croatia

June 7, 2026: Croatia vs Slovenia, Stadion Varteks, Varazdin, Croatia

June 17, 2026: England vs Croatia, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas, United States

June 23, 2026: Panama vs Croatia, BMO Field, Toronto, Canada

June 27, 2026: Croatia vs Ghana, Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

September 26, 2026: Czech Republic vs Croatia, Stadion Letna, Prague, Czech Republic

September 29, 2026: Spain vs Croatia, Spain

October 3, 2026: Croatia vs England, Stadion Rujevica, Rijeka, Croatia

October 6, 2026: Croatia vs Spain, Stadion Poljud, Split, Croatia

November 12, 2026: England vs Croatia, Wembley Stadium, London, England

November 15, 2026: Croatia vs Czech Republic, Opus Arena, Osijek, Croatia

Recent Results:

March 26, 2026: Colombia 1-2 Croatia, Camping World Stadium, Orlando, United States

March 31, 2026: Brazil 3-1 Croatia, Camping World Stadium, Orlando, United States

November 17, 2025: Montenegro 2-3 Croatia, Podgorica City Stadium, Podgorica, Montenegro

November 14, 2025: Croatia 3-1 Faroe Islands, Stadion Rujevica, Rijeka, Croatia

October 12, 2025: Croatia 3-0 Gibraltar, Stadion Varteks, Varazdin, Croatia

October 9, 2025: Czech Republic 0-0 Croatia, Fortuna Arena, Prague, Czech Republic

September 8, 2025: Croatia 4-0 Montenegro, Stadion Maksimir, Zagreb, Croatia

September 5, 2025: Faroe Islands 0-1 Croatia, Tórsvøllur, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands

June 9, 2025: Croatia 5-1 Czech Republic, Opus Arena, Osijek, Croatia

June 6, 2025: Gibraltar 0-7 Croatia, Estádio Algarve, Faro/Loulé, Portugal

March 23, 2025: France 2-0 Croatia, Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France

March 20, 2025: Croatia 2-0 France, Stadion Poljud, Split, Croatia

Croatia have been placed in Group L for the 2026 World Cup.

Zlatko Dalic’s journey as Croatia’s head coach nearly ended before it started. When he took charge in 2017, his appointment was conditional—failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup would have prompted a review of his position by the Croatian Football Federation.

However, Dalic led the team not only to qualification but to their first-ever World Cup final, defeating England in a dramatic semi-final before falling to France. Four years later, he guided them once again to the semi-finals in Qatar, losing to eventual champions Argentina.

Although Croatia’s performances at the past two European Championships have been less impressive, the Croatian FA will be hoping that Dalic can once more inspire a deep World Cup run in North America.

This tournament could mark the final international appearance for Luka Modric, though similar predictions have been made in previous years. The 2018 Ballon d'Or winner has been a cornerstone of Croatian football, leading the team through consecutive World Cup semi-finals and their 2018 final appearance.

Ranked 29th in FourFourTwo’s list of the greatest footballers of all time, Modric’s career stands as one of the most illustrious in modern football, and he will undoubtedly reflect on his journey with immense pride when the time comes to retire.

By Ewan Gennery and Isaac Stacey Stronge, Freelance Writers