Croatia World Cup 2026 Team Guide
Follow the Croatia World Cup 2026 Team with this team guide covering the projected squad, coaching staff, group stage schedule, key players, and useful links. This page is designed to help fans quickly find Croatia match information and learn more about the team heading into the tournament.
Croatia will play in Group L and opens group play against England before facing Panama and Ghana.
🇭🇷 Croatia Team Overview
Croatia enters World Cup 2026 with a strong tournament reputation and a squad that continues to combine experience, technical midfield quality, and disciplined defending. Croatia has repeatedly shown it can compete with the biggest teams in the world.
- Confederation: UEFA
- Group: Group L
- Head coach: Zlatko Dalić
- Nickname: Vatreni
📅 Croatia Match Schedule World Cup 2026
| Date | Match | Time | City | Stadium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 17, 2026 | England vs Croatia | 4:00 PM | Dallas | AT&T Stadium |
| June 23, 2026 | Panama vs Croatia | 7:00 PM | Toronto | BMO Field |
| June 27, 2026 | Croatia vs Ghana | 5:00 PM | Philadelphia | Lincoln Financial Field |
Time zone note: All match times listed below are shown in Eastern Time (ET).
Convert match times here: Match Time Converter
👥 Croatia Projected Squad
This projected Croatia squad is based on the current senior player pool and recent international selections. The final World Cup roster may change before the tournament begins.
🧤 Goalkeepers
- Dominik Livaković
- Nediljko Labrović
- Ivo Grbić
🛡️ Defenders
- Joško Gvardiol
- Josip Šutalo
- Borna Sosa
- Josip Stanišić
- Marin Pongračić
- Duje Ćaleta-Car
- Josip Juranović
⚙️ Midfielders
- Luka Modrić
- Mateo Kovačić
- Marcelo Brozović
- Luka Sučić
- Mario Pašalić
- Lovro Majer
- Martin Baturina
🎯 Forwards
- Andrej Kramarić
- Bruno Petković
- Ivan Perišić
- Josip Brekalo
- Marco Pašalić
- Petar Sučić
🧑🏫 Croatia Coaching Staff
- Head Coach: Zlatko Dalić
- Assistant Staff: Official tournament staff can be updated here as Croatia confirms the final World Cup setup.
🔥 Key Croatia Players To Watch
- Luka Modrić – still the emotional and technical leader of the team.
- Joško Gvardiol – one of Croatia’s most important defensive players.
- Mateo Kovačić – a key midfielder who helps Croatia control possession and tempo.
- Andrej Kramarić – a proven scorer and creative attacking option.
- Dominik Livaković – a reliable goalkeeper with major tournament experience.
- Martin Baturina – an exciting younger player who can add creativity in attack.
📈 Predicted Starting XI
This is a projected lineup only and may change based on fitness, form, and tactics.
- Formation: 4-3-3
- GK: Dominik Livaković
- DEF: Josip Stanišić, Josip Šutalo, Joško Gvardiol, Borna Sosa
- MID: Luka Modrić, Mateo Kovačić, Marcelo Brozović
- FWD: Andrej Kramarić, Bruno Petković, Ivan Perišić
🏆 Croatia World Cup History
Croatia has built one of the strongest tournament records of the modern era, reaching the 2018 World Cup final and finishing third in 2022. That recent success gives Croatia real credibility heading into 2026.
📊 Croatia Group Information
Croatia is in Group L alongside:
- Croatia
- England
- Panama
- Ghana
🔗 More Croatia World Cup Links
- Full World Cup 2026 Schedule (Eastern Time)
- World Cup 2026 Schedule UK Time
- Printable World Cup Schedule PDF
- World Cup 2026 Groups Hub
- World Cup 2026 Teams Hub
🌐 Official Team Website
For official announcements, confirmed squad news, and federation updates, visit the official Croatia federation website:
Note: Projected squads and starting lineups can change before the start of World Cup 2026.