
Croatia
UEFA · Qualified directly
Croatia's 2026 World Cup Qualification Campaign
Croatia stamped their authority on the World Cup - Qualification Europe 2025/2026 by finishing top of their group with an impressive haul of 22 points from eight matches. Their record boasts seven wins and a solitary draw, maintaining an unbeaten streak throughout the campaign. Offensively, they were prolific, netting 26 goals, while defensively they proved rock solid, conceding just four times – a goal difference of +22 that speaks volumes.
Their form carried a mix of resilience and attacking verve, with four wins at home and three on the road. Notably, they kept five clean sheets, a testament to a well-organised defence. The campaign featured a blend of dominant victories and a handful of tighter affairs, such as the goalless draw against the Czech Republic.
Looking ahead, Croatia's blend of experience and tactical nous, honed through this successful qualifying journey, sets them up as serious contenders in the World Cup 2026 group stage. With a squad balanced between solid defenders and creative midfielders, they're poised to turn qualification form into a memorable tournament showing.
Qualifying campaign
Rank
1
Points
22
PPG (last 5)
2.60
Squad pedigree
17 of 24 squad players (71%) play club football in a top-5 European league.
Spotlight
League position
Position 15Points trajectory
Rank 15FIFA world ranking
#10
Manager
Z. Dalić
Croatia
Season at a glance
Streaks
Last result
Croatia's Form in World Cup 2026 Qualifying
Croatia swept through their World Cup - Qualification Europe 2025/2026 campaign with remarkable consistency, topping their group unbeaten in eight matches. Their record of seven wins and a solitary draw highlights a side that drops points rarely – and when they do, it’s in stalemates rather than losses. Defensively, they were quite stingy, conceding just four goals, while their attack fired 26 times, showcasing balance at both ends.
Their recent string of results (WDWWW) demonstrates steady momentum, with victories both home and away and only a single goalless draw interrupting their rhythm. With five clean sheets overall and a goal difference of +22, Croatia heads into World Cup 2026 on the back of solid form, looking every bit the worthy contenders to follow up their runners-up finish in 2018. If consistency is key, Croatia have the form to keep the drama on the pitch, not in the results column.
Statistics
Home / Away splits
Week-by-week trends
team vs league avg (dashed)Croatia's Home and Away Form Ahead of World Cup 2026
Croatia's qualifying campaign for World Cup 2026 has seen them score 15 goals at home while conceding only 2, showcasing a fortress-like defence on home soil. Their three clean sheets at away matches reveal a team comfortable on the road, though with slightly fewer goals scored (11) compared to their home tally.
This balance of attacking threat and defensive solidity both home and away gives Croatia a confident platform. Their ability to keep the opposition at bay is almost evenly split, with two goals conceded at home and two away, suggesting they are well-drilled regardless of venue. This consistency bodes well as they prepare to face England away in the group stage, where their away resilience will be put to the test.
Fipster's record on Croatia
Fipster is still building its record on Croatia for the World Cup 2026 campaign, having not yet scored any predictions on this national team. No stars, ticks, or misses have been recorded so far, so consider this the model's opening gambit rather than a seasoned verdict. This means we’re all still waiting to see if Fipster’s crystal ball is more foggy mirror or clear glass when it comes to Croatia’s fortunes.
Squad
| # | Player | Pos | Club | League | Apps | G | A | Mins | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Goalkeeper | — | — | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | |
| 12 | Goalkeeper | 49 | 0 | 0 | 4320 | 6.96 | |||
| 23 | Goalkeeper | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 3 | Defender | 36 | 0 | 0 | 2917 | 6.80 | |||
| 4 | Defender | 20 | 2 | 2 | 1386 | 7.01 | |||
| 5 | Defender | 34 | 1 | 0 | 2021 | 6.86 | |||
| 6 | Defender | 27 | 0 | 0 | 1797 | 6.90 | |||
| 14 | Defender | 31 | 7 | 12 | 2218 | 7.29 | |||
| 22 | Defender | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | |||
| 25 | Defender | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| 2 | Midfielder | 27 | 2 | 3 | 1855 | 6.94 | |||
| 7 | Midfielder | 38 | 1 | 0 | 1811 | 7.26 | |||
| 8 | Midfielder | 12 | 0 | 1 | 154 | 6.72 | |||
| 9 | Midfielder | 34 | 14 | 6 | 2222 | 7.20 | |||
| 10 | Midfielder | 36 | 2 | 3 | 2828 | 7.59 | |||
| 13 | Midfielder | 37 | 8 | 3 | 3076 | 6.96 | |||
| 15 | Midfielder | 37 | 3 | 4 | 1947 | 6.93 | |||
| 18 | Midfielder | 28 | 2 | 1 | 1653 | 6.79 | |||
| 19 | Midfielder | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| 21 | Midfielder | 33 | 2 | 1 | 896 | 6.68 | |||
| 24 | Midfielder | 10 | 2 | 0 | 670 | 6.57 | |||
| 11 | Attacker | 35 | 15 | 0 | 2799 | 6.83 | |||
| 16 | Attacker | 37 | 6 | 3 | 1596 | 7.28 | |||
| 17 | Attacker | 37 | 2 | 2 | 1783 | 7.03 | |||
| 20 | Attacker | 32 | 11 | 2 | 1570 | 6.88 | |||
| 26 | Attacker | 13 | 12 | 2 | 1051 | 7.41 |