Croatia vs Czech Republic

In a highly anticipated UEFA 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match, Group L's top teams, Croatia and the Czech Republic, will clash at Opus Arena on Monday evening.

Croatia kicked off their campaign with a dominant 7-0 win over Gibraltar, while the Czech Republic have maintained a perfect record, securing victories in all three of their matches so far.

Croatia joined UEFA in June 1993, too late to participate in the 1994 World Cup qualifiers. Their first major tournament qualification came at the 1996 European Championship, where they reached the quarter-finals. Since then, they’ve qualified for 14 out of 16 major tournaments. Under coach Zlatko Dalic, who has led the team since October 2017, Croatia achieved remarkable success, finishing as runners-up at the 2018 World Cup and securing third place in 2022.

As one of Europe’s football powerhouses, Croatia are favored to lead Group L, and a win against their toughest rivals on Monday would solidify their position. They head into the match with confidence, having gone unbeaten in their last three encounters with the Czech Republic, recording two draws and one win.

However, the Czech Republic enter the game in stronger form, remaining unbeaten in their last eight matches, with six wins and two draws. In contrast, Croatia’s recent form includes two wins, two draws, and two losses in their last six games. The Czech Republic’s three qualifying wins include a 2-1 victory over the Faroe Islands, a 4-0 thrashing of Gibraltar, and a 2-0 defeat of Montenegro.

With nine points, the Czech Republic currently lead Group L and are on track to qualify for their first World Cup since their group-stage exit in 2006. While World Cup qualification has been challenging, the Czech Republic have consistently qualified for every European Championship since gaining independence before the 1996 tournament. They now aim to carry that success into their remaining five Group L matches to secure a spot at the 2026 World Cup.