Croatia national team coach Zlatko Dalić has called up 24 players for the upcoming European qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Heading into the final stage of Group L qualification, Croatia sits in an excellent position with 16 points from six matches and an impressive +19 goal difference. The Vatreni are three points ahead of second-placed Czech Republic and need just one more point to mathematically secure qualification for their seventh World Cup in national history.
Croatia will play the Faroe Islands in Rijeka on November 14, followed by an away match against Montenegro in Podgorica on November 17.
Coach Dalić has also issued 12 preliminary call-ups, which he can activate if necessary.
“We’ve largely stayed loyal to the squad that put us in this strong position because these players deserve to celebrate qualification for the World Cup. Each camp is also a chance to keep building chemistry and strengthen our unity,” Dalić explained.
“At the same time, we want to assess new options and give chances to players who’ve been performing consistently well for their clubs. That’s why we sent 12 preliminary call-ups. Over the next two weeks, we’ll decide who else might earn a place in the team. We have strong competition in every line, and everyone must use the coming months to prove themselves through club minutes and form. Of course, past performances for the national team also carry weight.”
Croatia enters the final two group matches against the Faroe Islands and Montenegro just one point away from securing their spot.
“We know we’re just one point away from mathematically confirming qualification, and we want to secure and celebrate that achievement with our fans in Rijeka,” said Dalić. “The Faroe Islands may not look threatening on paper, but our tough game in Tórshavn showed how disciplined and challenging they can be. Only with maximum focus can we show our true quality. The same goes for Montenegro. Regardless of our likely qualification, we want to finish these qualifiers with two wins and keep pushing for a top seed position. It’s up to us to finish this campaign as one of the best in Croatian history.”
The national team will gather in Zagreb on November 10, then travel immediately to Rijeka to prepare for the match against the Faroe Islands at HNK Rijeka Stadium. On November 16, the squad will fly from Krk to Podgorica, where they’ll face Montenegro the following evening in their final Group L match.
The group winner will qualify directly for the World Cup, while the runner-up will advance to the playoffs.
Croatia Squad for Matches vs. Faroe Islands and Montenegro:
Goalkeepers: Dominik Livaković, Ivica Ivušić, Dominik Kotarski
Defenders: Joško Gvardiol, Duje Ćaleta-Car, Josip Šutalo, Josip Stanišić, Marin Pongračić, Martin Erlić, Luka Vušković
Midfielders: Luka Modrić, Mateo Kovačić, Mario Pašalić, Nikola Vlašić, Kristijan Jakić, Petar Sučić, Nikola Moro, Toni Fruk
Forwards: Ivan Perišić, Andrej Kramarić, Ante Budimir, Marco Pašalić, Franjo Ivanović, Igor Matanović
Preliminary Call-ups: Lovro Majer, Mislav Oršić, Luka Sučić, Martin Baturina, Petar Musa, Domagoj Bradarić, Ivan Smolčić, Adriano Jagušić, Franko Kovačević, Karlo Letica, Ivor Pandur, Moris Valinčić
