Croatia at the FIFA World Cup 2026: Croatia head into the 2026 World Cup with a wealth of experience and a reputation as one of the most resilient tournament teams. They have consistently reached the knockout rounds in recent editions, finishing as runners-up in 2018 and securing third place in 2022, underlining their remarkable consistency on the global stage.
During qualification, Croatia delivered an unbeaten campaign, winning seven out of eight matches to comfortably book their place in the tournament. Their performance demonstrated both efficiency and tactical maturity.
The main focus continues to be on captain Luka Modrić, who remains the driving force and creative heartbeat of the team. His leadership and playmaking ability are still vital assets for coach Zlatko Dalić as the team prepares for another major challenge.
While Croatia have lost several key players from their 2018 and 2022 squads to retirement and age, the team still boasts a core of seasoned professionals with the quality and tournament experience needed to compete at the highest level.
In Group L, Croatia will go up against England, Ghana and Panama. England are likely to pose their toughest test, but Croatia will feel confident about their chances of advancing to the knockout stages once again.
Given their strong World Cup pedigree and excellent qualifying form, Croatia are widely viewed as a side capable of making another deep run in the tournament.
Croatia are expected to deploy a 4-2-3-1 formation at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, maintaining a structure that maximises their strength in midfield control.
Dominik Livaković is likely to retain his spot as the team’s first-choice goalkeeper, given his consistent performances in recent international tournaments.
The defensive line could see Joško Gvardiol operating at left-back, with Duje Ćaleta-Car and Marin Pongračić pairing up in central defence. Josip Stanišić is expected to start on the right flank.
In the middle of the park, the experienced duo of Luka Modrić and Mateo Kovačić are anticipated to anchor the midfield, offering composure, vision, and ball retention to control the tempo of games.
Further forward, Mario Pašalić, Andrej Kramarić and Ivan Perišić will likely feature behind the striker, providing attacking width and creativity.
Leading the line, Ante Budimir appears to be the most probable choice as centre-forward. Despite rotations among strikers in recent fixtures, Budimir’s form gives him an edge heading into the competition.
Predicted Croatia XI: Livaković; Gvardiol, Ćaleta-Car, Pongračić, Stanišić; Modrić, Kovačić; Pašalić, Kramarić, Perišić; Budimir.
Croatia’s campaign will once again rely on a balanced mix of experienced stars and reliable international performers as they prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The biggest name in the squad remains Luka Modrić. At 40, the captain continues to orchestrate play from midfield and is Croatia’s all-time appearance leader. His Golden Ball award from the 2018 World Cup remains one of his career highlights after guiding Croatia to their first-ever final.
Ivan Perišić is another veteran who continues to play a crucial role. The PSV Eindhoven winger has been one of Croatia’s key contributors for over a decade, scoring in both the 2018 semi-final against England and the final against France.
Defensively, Joško Gvardiol is the standout name. The Manchester City defender is regarded as one of the best young centre-backs in the world. However, his participation could depend on his recovery from a broken shinbone sustained earlier this year.
Croatia’s group-stage fixtures will begin against England on June 17 in Arlington, Texas. They will then face Panama on June 23 in Toronto before concluding the group stage with a match against Ghana on June 27 in Philadelphia.
A. Croatia reached the World Cup final in 2018, claimed third place in 2022, and qualified unbeaten for the 2026 tournament — all of which highlight their consistency and threat in major competitions.
A. Croatia are expected to play in a 4-2-3-1 formation under coach Zlatko Dalić.
A. Croatia will face England, Panama, and Ghana in Group L.
