Croatia arrive at the 2026 World Cup for their seventh tournament overall, a remarkable return for a nation of fewer than four million people. Their debut in 1998 set the template: third place at their first ever attempt, with Davor Suker winning the Golden Boot on six goals. They matched that bronze in 2022, and in between came their crowning moment, a run to the final in Russia in 2018, where they fell to France four goals to two. Croatia have missed just one edition since independence, the 2010 tournament in South Africa, and their consistency at the sharp end of the competition is almost without parallel for a nation their size.

Croatia secured their place in North America by winning UEFA Group L, finishing six points clear of second placed Czechia with 22 points from eight matches. Qualification was confirmed on 11/14/25 in Rijeka, where Zlatko Dalic's side came from behind to beat the Faroe Islands three goals to one. Josko Gvardiol levelled after the visitors went ahead, then Petar Musa and Nikola Vlasic put the result beyond doubt in the second half. It was a composed, professional performance that captured the tone of the whole campaign: Croatia led their group from early on and never relinquished control, qualifying with a match to spare.