Croatia World Cup 2026 Squad: Final 26-Player List

Croatia’s golden generation gets one more dance. Zlatko Dalić named his final 26-man squad on May 18, 2026, with 40-year-old captain Luka Modrić leading the Vatreni into a fifth World Cup. Croatia topped their UEFA qualifying group and now face England, Ghana and Panama in Group L.

The list blends Russia 2018 veterans with a new wave of young talent. Modrić, Perišić and Kovačić remain at the core, while teenage defender Luka Vušković earns his ticket to North America. The Croatia World Cup 2026 squad reflects Dalić’s faith in the names that built the country’s recent history.

Croatia Quick Facts:

• Country: Croatia
• Confederation: UEFA
• Nickname: Vatreni (The Blazers)
• Head Coach: Zlatko Dalić
• Captain: Luka Modrić
• Group: Group L
• Group Opponents: England, Ghana, Panama
• First Match: June 17 vs England, Dallas Stadium, 4:00 PM ET
• Last Group Match: June 27 vs Ghana, Philadelphia Stadium, 5:00 PM ET
• FIFA Ranking: 11th (as of April 1, 2026)
• World Cup Appearance: Seventh
• Kit Manufacturer: Nike

Croatia World Cup 2026 Squad List

Goalkeepers

• Dominik Livaković, 31, Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia)
• Dominik Kotarski, 26, FC København (Denmark)
• Ivor Pandur, 26, Hull City (England)

Defenders

• Joško Gvardiol, 24, Manchester City (England)
• Duje Ćaleta-Car, 29, Real Sociedad (Spain)
• Josip Šutalo, 26, Ajax (Netherlands)
• Josip Stanišić, 26, Bayern Munich (Germany)
• Marin Pongračić, 28, Fiorentina (Italy)
• Martin Erlić, 28, Midtjylland (Denmark)
• Luka Vušković, 19, Hamburger SV (Germany)

Midfielders

• Luka Modrić (C), 40, AC Milan (Italy)
• Mateo Kovačić, 32, Manchester City (England)
• Mario Pašalić, 31, Atalanta (Italy)
• Nikola Vlašić, 28, Torino (Italy)
• Luka Sučić, 23, Real Sociedad (Spain)
• Martin Baturina, 23, Como (Italy)
• Kristijan Jakić, 29, Augsburg (Germany)
• Petar Sučić, 22, Inter (Italy)
• Nikola Moro, 28, Bologna (Italy)
• Toni Fruk, 24, Rijeka (Croatia)

Forwards

• Ivan Perišić, 37, PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands)
• Andrej Kramarić, 34, Hoffenheim (Germany)
• Ante Budimir, 34, Osasuna (Spain)
• Marco Pašalić, 25, Orlando City (United States)
• Petar Musa, 28, FC Dallas (United States)
• Igor Matanović, 22, Freiburg (Germany)

The age gap is huge. Modrić is 40 and Vušković is 19, a 21-year split between the squad’s bookends. Perišić, Kramarić and Budimir add veteran weight, while Petar Sučić, Baturina and Matanović represent the next generation.

Serie A dominates the list with eight Croatians, headlined by Modrić at AC Milan and Petar Sučić at Inter. The Bundesliga and Premier League contribute four players each. Two MLS-based forwards in Marco Pašalić and Petar Musa give Dalić local knowledge of the host country.

Fixtures

Croatia play all three group stage matches across the United States and Canada. Local kick-off times are listed in both Eastern Time (ET) for the North American host venues and Central European Summer Time (CEST) for fans watching back home.

Date	Match	Venue	Time (ET)	Time (CEST)
Wed, June 17	Croatia vs England	Dallas Stadium, Arlington	4:00 PM	10:00 PM
Tue, June 23	Croatia vs Panama	Toronto Stadium, Toronto	7:00 PM	1:00 AM
Sat, June 27	Croatia vs Ghana	Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia	5:00 PM	11:00 PM

The top two finishers from each group advance to the Round of 32. The eight best third-placed teams across the twelve groups join them, so Croatia has more than one route to the knockout stage even if they slip up against England.

The opener in Texas is the headline act. Panama in Toronto looks winnable, though the Central Americans pulled off shocks during CONCACAF qualifying. Ghana in Philadelphia could become a must-win finale if Dalić’s side drops points early.

Manager: Zlatko Dalić

Zlatko Dalić is 59 and has been in charge of Croatia since October 7, 2017. The Bosnia-born coach took over with the team in turmoil and dragged them through a play-off into Russia 2018. He’s now Croatia’s longest-serving national team manager.

Dalić had a modest playing career as a defensive midfielder before turning to coaching. His reputation grew abroad through spells at Varteks, Rijeka and Al-Ain in the UAE, where he reached the AFC Champions League final in 2016.

His Croatia tenure stands as the most decorated in the country’s history. He guided the Vatreni to the 2018 final, the 2022 third-place playoff and the 2023 UEFA Nations League final. Croatia won UEFA qualifying Group L for 2026 with seven wins and one draw.

Tactically Dalić prefers a 4-3-3 with a deep-lying playmaker pulling the strings. Modrić has filled that role for years, with Kovačić and Mario Pašalić either side. The back four stays narrow and absorbs pressure rather than pressing high.

Star Player: Luka Modrić

Luka Modrić is 40, plays for AC Milan, and arrives at his fifth World Cup. The 2018 Ballon d’Or winner moved to San Siro in the summer of 2025 after thirteen seasons with Real Madrid and has anchored Milan’s midfield through the 2025-26 campaign.

He stands on 196 senior caps for Croatia with 28 goals, the record for the national team. Modrić made his debut on March 1, 2006 against Argentina in Basel. A handful of appearances during this World Cup will lift him to 200 international games, a mark only Cristiano Ronaldo and Bader Al-Mutawa have ever reached.

His honour list reads like a fantasy. Six Champions League titles with Real Madrid. Six Club World Cup wins. The 2018 Golden Ball at the World Cup in Russia. He is widely viewed as the greatest player in Croatian football history.

Form has not slipped despite his age. Modrić logged 32 Serie A appearances for Milan in 2025-26 with two goals and three assists, averaging over 60 accurate passes per game. He suffered a facial fracture in April but is expected to be fit for the opener.

Key Players to Watch

Luka Vušković

Luka Vušković is 19 and the youngest player in Dalić’s squad. The centre-back is owned by Tottenham and spent 2025-26 on loan at Hamburger SV. He stands 6’3 and reads the game beyond his years.

He’s only got four senior caps but Dalić trusts him as fifth-choice centre-back. If Gvardiol’s fitness wobbles, Vušković could see meaningful minutes and become one of the tournament’s youngest defenders.

Ivan Perišić

Ivan Perišić is 37 and one of the squad’s most-capped players. The winger moved to PSV Eindhoven in September 2024 and produced seven Eredivisie goals and twelve assists from the left flank in 2025-26.

He’s scored in three different World Cups, including the 1-1 equaliser in the 2018 final against France. His direct running and crosses into Budimir or Kramarić will be the simplest plan-B when Croatia need a goal late.

Joško Gvardiol

Joško Gvardiol is 24 and arrives as a Premier League champion with Manchester City. The left-sided defender can play centre-back or full-back, with ball progression numbers among Europe’s best. He missed four months with a fractured tibia after injuring it against Chelsea in January, returning on May 13 against Crystal Palace.

Dalić confirmed Gvardiol will start the opener against England. His pace covers Modrić’s lack of mobility in transition, and his long passing opens space for Perišić. Croatia’s defensive ceiling is tied directly to his match sharpness.

Qualification Path & World Cup History

Croatia booked their place by winning UEFA qualifying Group L. They finished 7-1-0 across eight matches, ahead of Czechia, Faroe Islands, Montenegro and Gibraltar. The only dropped points came in a 0-0 draw away in the Czech Republic, and Dalić’s side scored 26 goals and conceded just four.

Direct qualification meant no play-off scare this time. Topping the group early let Dalić use March 2026 friendlies to test younger names like Petar Sučić and Baturina.

This is Croatia’s seventh World Cup appearance since gaining FIFA membership in 1992. They’ve collected three medals already, two bronze in 1998 and 2022 plus silver in 2018.

Russia 2018 remains the high point. Dalić’s side won three penalty shootouts en route to the final before losing 4-2 to France. Qatar 2022 saw Croatia beat Brazil on penalties before falling 3-0 to Argentina and then beating Morocco 2-1 for the bronze.

Few teams have packed more deep tournament runs into the 35 years since Croatia joined FIFA. More background on those campaigns sits on the all-time record page.

What to Expect & Our Prediction

Dalić will line up in a 4-3-3 with Modrić in the deepest midfield role. Gvardiol and Stanišić provide width from full-back. Perišić starts on the left, with Kramarić or Marco Pašalić opposite and Budimir or Musa leading the line.

The obvious weakness is pace at centre-back if Gvardiol is not at full fitness. Ćaleta-Car and Šutalo are solid but cannot recover space behind a high line. England’s Saka and Bellingham could expose that issue in the opener if Croatia push too aggressively.

The England match looks the toughest test, with Thomas Tuchel’s side favoured by most analysts. Panama in Toronto should be a contest of solving a deep block. Ghana in Philadelphia is a fast, physical opponent who could trouble the back four.

Best case sees Croatia finish second behind England with four or five points and a manageable Round of 32 tie. Worst case is a slow opener, a Panama draw and pressure into match three. Croatia are likely to advance but probably as a runner-up rather than group winners.

Croatia World Cup 2026 Squad FAQs

The Croatia World Cup 2026 squad blends a fading golden generation with rising talent in a way few rivals can match. Modrić, Perišić and Kramarić get one more shot, while Gvardiol, Vušković and Petar Sučić point to the future. A quarter-final run would feel about right for this group.