Croatia national team head coach Zlatko Dalić has revealed his 24-man squad for the opening matches of the European qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, set to be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. In addition to the confirmed list, Dalić has issued four provisional call-ups as the Vatreni gear up to begin their qualification campaign this June.
After a dramatic Nations League semi-final exit to France on penalties in March, Croatia will look to reset and refocus. Their journey kicks off on June 6 with an away fixture against Gibraltar in Faro, Portugal (8:45 PM CET), followed by a home match against Czechia on June 9 at the Opus Arena in Osijek (8:45 PM CET).
Veteran captain Luka Modrić continues to lead the squad, joined by established names like Joško Gvardiol, Mateo Kovačić, and Andrej Kramarić. A notable inclusion is 17-year-old defender Luka Vušković, who earns his first senior call-up after a breakout season in Belgium.
“We built a strong core during the Nations League and now turn our focus to qualifying. The goal is clear —booking our ticket to the World Cup,” said Dalić. “We can’t afford to underestimate Gibraltar. That game is key to building the momentum we’ll need for Czechia, which will likely be one of the toughest matches in the group. June fixtures are always tricky, but we’re aiming for a full six points.”
Dalić confirmed that Nikola Vlašić is out due to health concerns, while Borna Sosa has been left off the list after a lengthy spell without minutes at Torino. Meanwhile, Orlando City’s Marco Pašalić remains on standby, with a final decision pending as his MLS club is not obligated to release him before June 2.
“Vušković has shown great consistency all season in Belgium, and this is a great opportunity for him to get a taste of the senior environment,” Dalić added. “I also want to congratulate all the players who have won domestic titles or achieved major club goals this season. Let’s carry that winning spirit into the national team.”
Croatia will gather in Rijeka on May 30 to begin training before flying to Faro on June 5. The squad will return to Croatia the following day to prepare for Czechia in Osijek.
With four matches already played in Group L of the European qualifiers, Czechia and Montenegro currently lead with six points each, both earning wins over Gibraltar and the Faroe Islands. Croatia, having joined the competition later due to their Nations League involvement, will play two matches in June, followed by double fixtures in September (Faroe Islands away, Montenegro at home), October (Czechia away, Gibraltar at home), and November (Faroe Islands and Montenegro).
Full Croatia Squad:
Goalkeepers:
Dominik Livaković, Ivica Ivušić, Dominik Kotarski
Defenders:
Joško Gvardiol, Josip Juranović, Duje Ćaleta-Car, Josip Šutalo, Josip Stanišić, Marin Pongračić, Luka Vušković
Midfielders:
Luka Modrić, Mateo Kovačić, Mario Pašalić, Lovro Majer, Luka Sučić, Martin Baturina, Kristijan Jakić, Petar Sučić, Nikola Moro, Toni Fruk
Forwards:
Ivan Perišić, Andrej Kramarić, Ante Budimir, Franjo Ivanović
Call-ups:
Marko Pjaca, Mislav Oršić, Marco Pašalić, Karlo Letica
