As part of their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, Croatia and Belgium will meet in a high-profile friendly at Rijeka’s Rujevica Stadium.
The Croatian Football Federation and the Royal Belgian Football Association have agreed to the match between two teams ranked inside FIFA’s top 10 (as of December 2025). The game will take place on June 2 in Rijeka, where Croatia will be based for their World Cup training camp.
Croatia and Belgium have met nine times in total, with three wins apiece and three draws. Their most recent encounter came at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where a goalless draw sent Croatia through to the knockout stage.
“We don’t shy away from the strongest opponents in friendly matches. It’s the best way to see where we stand and what needs improving,” said head coach Zlatko Dalić. “Belgium has been among the world’s top 10 for years and will be an excellent test before our World Cup opener against England. They’re athletic, technically gifted, and dangerous in attack. We’ve planned everything carefully, from our base camp to the friendlies and preparation schedule, and now it’s about monitoring our players’ form, fitness, and club situations before heading to North America fully ready.”
Ticket information for the Croatia–Belgium match will be announced soon on HNS’s official channels.
The clash against Belgium will be Croatia’s penultimate warm-up game before they travel to their World Cup base in Alexandria, Virginia, where they’ll stay during the group stage. Prior to that, Croatia will play Colombia (March 26) and Brazil (March 31) in Orlando, while one more friendly in Croatia will be confirmed before the team departs for the U.S.
Croatia’s World Cup campaign kicks off on June 17 in Dallas against England (10:00 p.m. CET), followed by Panama on June 23 in Toronto (June 24, 1:00 a.m. CET) and Ghana on June 27 in Philadelphia (11:00 p.m. CET).
