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June 11, 2026 → July 19, 202648 Teams104 Matches16 Cities

Group L

Croatia

Croatia are in Group L with England, Ghana, Panama. Their verified group route starts against England in Dallas, continues with Panama in Toronto, and closes against Ghana in Philadelphia.

Group L · UEFA side. The group route moves through Dallas, Toronto, Philadelphia, with Croatia opening against England and closing against Ghana.

Current World Cup 2026 status

Croatia World Cup 2026 status: eliminated after Portugal loss

Croatia recovered from England loss with wins over Panama and Ghana to finish second in Group L, but were then eliminated by Portugal.

StatusEliminated - lost to PortugalPortugal beat Croatia 2-1 in Match 83 at BMO Field in Toronto.Read Portugal recap
Group position2nd in Group L6 pts · 2W-0D-1L · 5-5 goals · GD +0Open group table
Latest resultPortugal 2-1 CroatiaThe Ghana win built the route, but the late Portugal loss fixed Croatia's ceiling at the Round of 32 line.Open match recap
Next stepRoute ends in TorontoPortugal advanced to Match 93 against Spain, while Croatia were eliminated in Toronto.Read Portugal recap

The 4-2 England defeat made Croatia chase the group from the first night.

The Panama clean sheet steadied the section, then the Ghana win secured second place without third-place help.

Portugal gave Croatia the kind of narrow knockout margin that leaves almost no room once the lead disappears.

Croatia Next Step

Follow Croatia from Group L recovery into Portugal

Croatia's group did not start cleanly, but the wins over Panama and Ghana made the Portugal match a direct runner-up route rather than a rescue route.

Next MatchPortugal vs CroatiaToronto kickoff, Match 83 context and what the winner gets next.Qualification ResultReading Croatia 2-1 Ghana?The final Group L win secured second place and removed third-place-table uncertainty.Opening LossWhy England result still mattersThe 4-2 loss explains why Croatia had to chase control for the rest of the group.Bracket PairSpain or Austria next?The Portugal/Croatia winner meets the Spain/Austria winner in Match 93.

Use the Ghana result for the qualification turn, then keep Portugal vs Croatia beside Spain vs Austria because the two matches feed the same Match 93 lane.

Group facts

Group

Group L

Confederation

UEFA

Opponents

England, Ghana, Panama

First match

June 17, 2026

Last match

June 27, 2026

Full section: All teams

Quick team snapshot

Croatia take a three-city route through Dallas, Toronto, Philadelphia during the group stage.

  • Opening match: June 17, 2026 against England in Dallas.
  • Travel path: Dallas -> Toronto -> Philadelphia.
  • Closing match: June 27, 2026 against Ghana in Philadelphia.
  • Group-stage window: 10 days from the opener to the closer.

FAQ

When does Croatia open the group stage?
June 17, 2026 against England at Dallas Stadium (Dallas) in Dallas.
When is Croatia's second group match?
June 23, 2026 against Panama at Toronto Stadium (Toronto) in Toronto.
How much time does Croatia get between group matches?
6 days separate the opener and second match, and 4 days separate the second match and the group closer.
How many cities does Croatia use in the group stage?
Croatia play in 3 cities: Dallas, Toronto, Philadelphia.
When does Croatia close the group stage?
June 27, 2026 against Ghana at Philadelphia Stadium (Philadelphia) in Philadelphia.