Croatia at FIFA World Cup 2026
Squad, Fixtures, Odds & Predictions
Croatia arrive at the FIFA World Cup 2026 as the most successful “small nation” in modern tournament football, with three semi-finals in seven World Cup appearances since 1998, a 2018 final, and a 2022 third-place finish.
Under Zlatko Dalić, captain Luka Modrić will lead the Vatreni at his fifth and certainly final World Cup, with the 40-year-old’s farewell carrying enormous emotional weight.
Croatia’s Group L draw against England, Ghana, and Panama is challenging, but for a team that has beaten the odds at three consecutive tournaments, the dark horse tag fits perfectly.
Quick Betting Snapshot
| Market | Sportsbet.io Odds |
|---|---|
| Croatia to win the World Cup 2026 | +5000 (50.00) |
| Croatia to qualify from Group L | +120 |
| Croatia to win Group L | +450 (5.50) |
| Croatia to reach the quarter-finals | +275 |
Croatia’s Tournament Context: An 8th World Cup Appearance
Croatia is making its 8th appearance at a FIFA World Cup since independence in 1991, an extraordinary tournament record for a nation of just under four million people.
Their best-ever finish remains the 2018 final, where they lost 4-2 to France after knockout wins over Denmark, Russia (both on penalties), and England in the semi-finals.
The Vatreni followed that with a third-place finish at Qatar 2022, defeating Morocco 2-1 in the third-place playoff.
In Qatar, Croatia famously eliminated tournament favourites Brazil in the quarter-finals on penalties, with Dominik Livaković emerging as one of the tournament’s standout goalkeepers. They lost 3-0 to eventual champions Argentina in the semi-finals, the only blemish on an otherwise outstanding tournament.
Croatia currently sit at No. 10 in the FIFA world rankings, having topped UEFA qualifying Group L with 22 points from a possible 24 (seven wins and one draw). They were the only European nation outside the established Pot 1 sides to qualify with such ease.
Head coach Zlatko Dalić has been in charge since 2017 and is now Croatia’s most successful manager in World Cup history.
The 59-year-old’s tactical identity is built around a 4-3-3 with a possession-based midfield, prioritising ball retention through Modrić and Kovačić, defensive solidity, and a methodical, patient approach to attacking.
The narrative is one of legacy and farewell: this is certainly the final tournament for the Modrić-Perišić generation, and the entire Croatia squad knows it.
Road to the World Cup 2026
Croatia comfortably topped their UEFA qualifying group, sealing their place at the FIFA World Cup 2026 with two matches to spare in October 2025.
Qualifying record: 7 wins, 1 draw, 0 losses across 8 matches, 19 goals scored, 4 conceded.
- Standout result: A 3-0 away win over the Czech Republic in Prague, Croatia’s most complete performance of the cycle and the result that effectively sealed top spot.
- Only blip: A 1-1 home draw against the Czech Republic in the reverse fixture, the only points dropped in the qualifying campaign.
- Top scorer during qualifying: Andrej Kramarić (4 goals), with Ivan Perišić, Luka Modrić, and Petar Sučić all contributing across the campaign.
The most significant personnel shifts during the cycle were the integration of the next generation. Martin Baturina (Como), Petar Sučić (Inter Milan), and Luka Sučić (Real Sociedad) have established themselves as midfield understudies to Modrić and Kovačić.
Veteran defenders Domagoj Vida and Dejan Lovren have retired, and Marcelo Brozović stepped away from international football after Euro 2024, completing a generational transition Dalić has managed deftly.
Croatia Full Squad List
Provisional squad. Final 26 confirmed by FIFA on 2 June 2026. Some defender positions are interchangeable depending on Dalić’s selection.
Zlatko Dalić named his confirmed 26-player Croatia World Cup 2026 squad on 18 May 2026. Modrić, who broke his cheekbone in late April, is expected to be fully fit for the opening match against England.
Goalkeepers
| # | Player | Position | Age | Club | Caps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dominik Livaković | GK | 31 | Girona (La Liga) | 73 | 0 |
| 12 | Ivica Ivušić | GK | 30 | Pafos (Cypriot First Division) | 12 | 0 |
| 23 | Nediljko Labrović | GK | 26 | Rijeka (Croatian HNL) | 4 | 0 |
Defenders
| # | Player | Position | Age | Club | Caps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Josip Stanišić | RB/CB | 26 | Bayer Leverkusen (Bundesliga) | 19 | 1 |
| 3 | Marin Pongračić | CB | 28 | Fiorentina (Serie A) | 9 | 0 |
| 4 | Joško Gvardiol | CB | 24 | Manchester City (Premier League) | 38 | 4 |
| 5 | Martin Erlić | CB | 27 | Sassuolo (Serie A) | 14 | 0 |
| 6 | Josip Šutalo | CB | 25 | Ajax (Eredivisie) | 21 | 0 |
| 13 | Kristijan Jakić | CB/DM | 28 | Fortuna Düsseldorf (Bundesliga) | 17 | 1 |
| 15 | Josip Juranović | RB | 30 | Union Berlin (Bundesliga) | 39 | 1 |
| 19 | Borna Sosa | LB | 28 | Ajax (Eredivisie) | 23 | 0 |
| 22 | Marin Šipić | CB | 25 | HNK Rijeka (Croatian HNL) | 4 | 0 |
| 24 | Domagoj Bradarić | LB | 26 | Salernitana (Serie B) | 8 | 0 |
Midfielders
| # | Player | Position | Age | Club | Caps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Mateo Kovačić | CM | 32 | Manchester City (Premier League) | 99 | 4 |
| 10 | Luka Modrić (c) | CM | 40 | AC Milan (Serie A) | 196 | 27 |
| 11 | Nikola Moro | DM | 27 | Bologna (Serie A) | 17 | 0 |
| 14 | Mario Pašalić | CM/AM | 31 | Atalanta (Serie A) | 64 | 11 |
| 16 | Martin Baturina | AM | 22 | Como (Serie A) | 9 | 1 |
| 17 | Petar Sučić | CM | 22 | Inter Milan (Serie A) | 11 | 1 |
| 18 | Luka Sučić | CM | 23 | Real Sociedad (La Liga) | 18 | 2 |
| 20 | Nikola Vlašić | AM | 28 | Torino (Serie A) | 56 | 7 |
Forwards
| # | Player | Position | Age | Club | Caps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Lovro Majer | AM/LW | 28 | Wolfsburg (Bundesliga) | 35 | 5 |
| 9 | Andrej Kramarić | ST | 34 | Hoffenheim (Bundesliga) | 109 | 35 |
| 25 | Igor Matanović | ST | 23 | Eintracht Frankfurt (Bundesliga) | 5 | 1 |
| 26 | Ivan Perišić | LW | 37 | PSV Eindhoven (Eredivisie) | 145 | 38 |
Croatia World Cup 2026 Players to Watch
Luka Modrić (Captain, Midfielder, AC Milan)
The 40-year-old captain enters his fifth World Cup, equalling the record set by Lothar Matthäus, Rafael Márquez, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Lionel Messi. Modrić remains Croatia’s most-capped player at 196 international appearances and the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner.
After leaving Real Madrid for AC Milan in summer 2025, he has adapted superbly to Serie A, recording 6 goals and 8 assists in his debut season. A broken cheekbone in April 2026 raised fitness concerns, but Croatia confirm he will be ready for the opener.
Joško Gvardiol (Centre-back, Manchester City)
The 24-year-old Manchester City defender is Croatia’s most valuable defensive asset for the long-term future of the national team. After a Premier League-winning 2024-25 season with Pep Guardiola’s side, Gvardiol returned from injury in early 2026 to reclaim his starting role.
Equally comfortable at centre-back or left-back, his pace, distribution, and aerial dominance make him one of the world’s best defenders under 25.
Why bettors should care: Gvardiol is a genuine set-piece scoring threat. He has scored 4 international goals from centre-back, including a crucial header against Morocco at Qatar 2022.
Mateo Kovačić (Central Midfielder, Manchester City)
The Manchester City midfielder forms the second half of Croatia’s iconic central pairing alongside Modrić. With 99 caps and a 100th expected during the group stage, Kovačić provides the ball-carrying, line-breaking dimension to complement Modrić’s vision.
After recovering from a knee issue at the end of City’s 2024-25 campaign, he is fully fit for the tournament.
Ivan Perišić (Left Winger, PSV Eindhoven)
At 37, Perišić enters his fourth World Cup and is just one goal away from drawing level with Davor Šuker as Croatia’s all-time leading scorer.
Perišić has scored in each of the last three World Cups (2014, 2018, and 2022), and a goal in 2026 would tie that historic record. After a strong 2025-26 season at PSV following his return from ACL surgery, Perišić remains Croatia’s primary wide threat.
Petar Sučić (Central Midfielder, Inter Milan)
The 22-year-old Inter Milan midfielder is the future of Croatian football. Brought in from Dinamo Zagreb in summer 2025, Sučić has made a smooth transition to Serie A and is being groomed by Dalić as Modrić’s long-term successor.
He is unlikely to start the opening match but is expected to get significant minutes off the bench.
Why bettors should care: Sučić scoring at his debut World Cup at +600 is a worthwhile longshot for the breakout 22-year-old.
Tactical Analysis: How Croatia Will Play
Dalić’s Croatia plays a 4-3-3 with a deep-lying playmaker and two box-to-box midfielders, with Modrić, Kovačić, and either Pašalić or Petar Sučić in the central trio.
Out of possession, it shifts into a compact 4-5-1, with the wingers tucking in to deny central space.
The system is tactically conservative, prioritising retaining the ball, frustrating opponents, and converting half-chances through Croatia’s superior technical quality.
Pressing intensity: Low to medium. Dalić has never been a high-press devotee. Croatia defends in an organised mid-block, accepting they will concede possession to physically stronger opposition, and rely on technical superiority in midfield to dictate matches. This worked brilliantly against Brazil in Qatar 2022.
Defensive line: Medium-deep. With Gvardiol and Šutalo (or Erlić) as the centre-back pairing, Croatia will not push the line aggressively. The system is built around denying space rather than winning the ball high.
Attacking patterns: Patient, possession-based, and built around Modrić’s vision in the final third. Perišić and Majer provide wide creativity, while Kramarić operates as a false-nine link player. Set pieces are an important secondary route to goals. Croatia scored 5 of its 19 qualifying goals from dead-ball situations, with Gvardiol and Pašalić both genuine aerial threats.
Defensive vulnerabilities: Croatia’s biggest weakness is pace in transition. The full-backs (Juranović and Sosa or Stanišić) are technically sound, but not the quickest in the world, and quick wingers can exploit the spaces vacated when Croatia commits numbers forward. England’s pace through Saka and Gordon will be a major test in the opener.
What this means for betting markets: Croatia matches lean towards low-scoring, controlled affairs. Under 2.5 goals has hit in 7 of Croatia’s last 10 competitive matches against top-30 opposition, making it a strong angle for both the England opener and the Ghana fixture. Croatia matches also trend towards penalty shootouts in the knockouts. They have won four of their last five tournament shootouts. Follow the prices live with in-play betting.
Croatia World Cup 2026 Fixtures and Group L Analysis
View the Croatia World Cup 2026 fixture schedule below.
Croatia is in Group L alongside England, Ghana, and Panama. All three group-stage matches are played in the United States, in Dallas, Boston, and New York.
| Match | Date | Kick-off (Local / GMT) | Venue | City | Odds (1X2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England vs. Croatia | Wed 17 June 2026 | 15:00 CT / 20:00 GMT | AT&T Stadium | Arlington, TX | -140 / +260 / +400 |
| Croatia vs. Ghana | Mon 22 June 2026 | 18:00 ET / 22:00 GMT | Gillette Stadium | Foxborough, MA | -130 / +250 / +325 |
| Croatia vs. Panama | Sat 27 June 2026 | 12:00 ET / 16:00 GMT | MetLife Stadium | East Rutherford, NJ | -350 / +475 / +850 |
Group L verdict: England enter as heavy Group L favourites at -250 to top the group, with Croatia (+450) the clear second favourites. Ghana (+1800) and Panama (+5000) are the outsiders. Compare every side in the World Cup Groups betting hub.
Croatia’s most realistic route is finishing second in the group, advancing to the Round of 32 against a weaker Group I/J third-placed side, and potentially navigating a kind knockout draw all the way to the semi-finals.
The pick of the group-stage matches for betting value is England vs. Croatia at AT&T Stadium. This is a rematch of the 2018 World Cup semi-final, which Croatia won 2-1 in extra time, a narrative weight that competitors will undersell. Look at under 2.5 goals at +110 as the strongest play, or Croatia double chance (draw/win) at +200 if you back Dalić’s side to frustrate Tuchel’s England.
Croatia World Cup 2026 Betting Markets and Angles
Outright Markets
| Market | Sportsbet.io Odds | Sportsbet.io Take |
|---|---|---|
| To win the World Cup 2026 | +5000 (50.00) | Long shot, worth only a small play |
| To reach the final | +1800 | Plausible if they get a kind knockout draw |
| To reach the semi-finals | +800 | Best outright value, three semis in seven tries |
| To reach the quarter-finals | +275 | Strong play given knockout pedigree |
| To win Group L | +450 (5.50) | Worth a small play if Croatia win the opener |
| To qualify from the group | +120 | Strong value given Croatia’s tournament record |
| Stage of elimination: Round of 16 | +220 | Most likely tournament outcome |
Browse the full outright World Cup winner odds to build your tournament bets.
Player Markets
Andrej Kramarić is the centrepiece of Croatia’s striker prop slate:
- Croatia top tournament scorer: +180
- To score 2+ goals at the tournament: +500
Ivan Perišić is the alternative attacking pick. Perišić to score at the tournament is priced at +180, and he has scored in three consecutive World Cups, a record only Pelé, Uwe Seeler, and Cristiano Ronaldo can match. Luka Modrić to record an assist at the tournament at +110 is the safest player prop on the page given his creative role.
Match Markets to Watch
The standout match-level betting angle is Croatia vs. Ghana under 2.5 goals in the Boston fixture. Ghana have averaged 1.4 goals per game in competitive fixtures since 2024, Croatia’s matches consistently trend low-scoring in tournament play, and the second group fixture often plays cautiously as both teams calculate qualification scenarios.
A consistent pattern worth noting: Croatia to draw a knockout match at full-time has hit in 6 of their last 8 World Cup knockout matches. They have become the masters of grinding out results and winning on penalties. Follow the shifting prices through live in-play betting once the action gets underway.
Specials and Novelty
Sportsbet.io is running tournament-long Croatia specials including:
- Luka Modrić to play in his fifth World Cup and reach the knockouts
- Ivan Perišić to score in a fourth consecutive World Cup
- Croatia to win another knockout match on penalties
- Croatia to reach the semi-finals for a third consecutive World Cup
Croatia World Cup Predictions and Sportsbet.io Verdict
Realistic ceiling: Semi-finals. Croatia has made the last four of the last two World Cups, and the new 48-team format genuinely helps a side built for knockout football. If Modrić stays fit, Gvardiol replicates his Premier League form, and the knockout draw avoids Spain and France until the final four, a third consecutive semi-final is achievable.
Realistic floor: Round of 32 exit. If Croatia finishes third in Group L behind England and a determined Ghana side, they will still likely qualify as one of the eight best third-placed teams. A loss in the Round of 32 to a Pot 1 opponent would be the floor, a poorer return than 2018 or 2022, but not embarrassing.
Most likely outcome: Round of 16 exit against a Pot 1 team (Spain, France, Brazil, or Argentina). Croatia finished second in Group L, navigated a kind Round of 32, but bowed out against an elite knockout opponent. The same trajectory as the 2014 and 2018 group stage runs that ended with knockout exits.
Sportsbet.io’s recommended bet: Croatia to reach the semi-finals at +800 is the strongest value on the board. Their tournament record alone justifies the price: three semi-finals in seven appearances since 1998 is a remarkable rate. For safer plays, Croatia to qualify from Group L at +120 is the cleanest market on the page, and Ivan Perišić to score anytime at the tournament at +180 is the best player prop given his historic record.
Croatia World Cup 2026 FAQ
When does Croatia play its first World Cup 2026 match?Croatia plays its opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 against England on Wednesday, 17 June 2026, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Kick-off is 15:00 CT / 20:00 GMT.
Which group is Croatia in at the World Cup 2026?Croatia is in Group L at the FIFA World Cup 2026, alongside England, Ghana, and Panama.
Who is Croatia’s head coach at the World Cup 2026?Zlatko Dalić is Croatia’s head coach. The 59-year-old has been in charge since 2017 and is now Croatia’s most successful manager in World Cup history, having led the Vatreni to the 2018 World Cup final and the 2022 semi-finals.
What are Croatia’s odds of winning the World Cup 2026?Croatia is priced at +5000 (50.00) to win the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Sportsbet.io. To qualify from Group L, Croatia is +120, and to reach the semi-finals, +800.
Who is Croatia’s star player at the World Cup 2026?Luka Modrić is the Croatia captain and star player. The 40-year-old AC Milan midfielder is the team’s most-capped player at 196 appearances and the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner. Joško Gvardiol (Manchester City) and Mateo Kovačić (Manchester City) are the squad’s other standout names.
Has Croatia ever won the World Cup?No, Croatia has never won the FIFA World Cup. Their best finish remains second place in 2018, when they lost the final 4-2 to France. Croatia also finished third at Qatar 2022.
How many times has Croatia been to the World Cup?The 2026 tournament will be Croatia’s 8th appearance at the FIFA World Cup since the nation’s independence in 1991. They have qualified for every World Cup since 2002 except for 2010.
Where can I bet on Croatia at the World Cup 2026?You can bet on every Croatia World Cup 2026 market on Sportsbet.io, including outright winners, group qualification, match results, player props on Luka Modrić, Joško Gvardiol, and Ivan Perišić, and a wide range of Vatreni specials. Live in-play betting is available on all Croatia matches.
Bet on Croatia at the World Cup 2026 with Sportsbet.io
Sportsbet.io offers the most comprehensive Croatia World Cup 2026 betting markets, from outright winners and group qualification to player props on Luka Modrić, Joško Gvardiol, Mateo Kovačić, Andrej Kramarić, and the entire Vatreni squad. Live in-play betting, instant withdrawals, and the best odds on every Croatia fixture, all in one place.
Bet on Croatia at the FIFA World Cup 2026 →
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