Croatia and England Play Nations League Match Behind Closed Doors

Croatia and England take to the field this Saturday, October 3, for the third round of Nations League Group A3, at the stadium in Rijeka. Both national teams arrive at the fixture level on three points in the standings. Both have defeated Czechia and were beaten by Spain in previous matches of the continental tournament.

Direct Battle for Second Place in the Group

The direct confrontation will decide second place in the group after an inconsistent start from both sides. The team coached by Thomas Tuchel debuted with a 3-2 defeat against Spain at Wembley but bounced back by beating Czechia 2-0 in Prague. On the other hand, the Croatian team led by Slaven Bilic triumphed away against the Czechs 2-1 but was then overcome by the Spanish national team 4-1 in Seville.

UEFA Sanction Restricts Fan Attendance

The match at Rujevica Stadium will take place without the regular presence of home fans, in compliance with a punishment imposed by UEFA against the Croatian Football Federation. The reason for the penalty was disturbances caused by Croatia fans in a Nations League clash against France, held in March 2025. As a result, the stands will only host groups of schoolchildren and approximately one hundred visiting fans from England. Given this atypical scenario, Thomas Tuchel urged the English players to maintain focus and avoid a pre-season-like tempo.

Overall Head-to-Head Record and Recent Performance

The overall head-to-head record between the two teams shows 12 official clashes played over the years. England holds the advantage with seven victories, in addition to two draws and three defeats against their Balkan rivals. In the last three direct encounters, the English national team emerged victorious, including a 4-2 triumph in the World Cup in June 2026. Conversely, the Croats maintain an unbeaten home streak since October 2023, during which they have accumulated eight wins and one draw playing as hosts.

Probable Lineups and Player Status

On the British side, forward Anthony Gordon emerges as an active attacking force after scoring goals against both Spain and Czechia. England could line up with Jordan Pickford, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Trevoh Chalobah, Marc Guéhi, Lewis Hall, Elliot Anderson, James Garner, Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Gordon, and Harry Kane. In the called-up squad, Marc Guéhi and Elliot Anderson play for Manchester City, a club that appealed a decision by the English league's independent commission following accusations made in 2023. Meanwhile, Croatia's predicted lineup includes Dominik Livakovic, Ivan Smolcic, Luka Vuskovic, Josko Gvardiol, Ivan Perisic, Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, Petar Sucic, Martin Baturina, Dion Beljo, and Marco Pasalic.

With information from Sports Illustrated, Sporting News, FotMob.