Croatia host England on Saturday, 3 October 2026, in the third round of the Nations League group stage, with both teams looking to strengthen their position in the competition. Kick-off is scheduled for 16:00 GMT at Stadion HNK Rijeka.
The match will be shown on L’Equipe Live Foot in France and Nova TV in Croatia. DAZN will broadcast it in Spain and Germany, while viewers in Belgium can watch on VTM GO. In Italy, coverage will be available on RAI Play, Mediaset and Sky Italia.
DAZN, ORF ON and PULS 4 hold the broadcast rights in Austria. SuperSport will show the game in sub-Saharan Africa, with beIN Sports broadcasting it across the MENA region.
England hold the historical advantage
The two nations have met 12 times, according to Transfermarkt data. England have won seven of those fixtures, compared with three victories for Croatia, while the other two matches ended in draws.
The Three Lions have also scored 26 goals in those meetings, with Croatia managing 15. England have won each of the teams’ three most recent encounters, including a 4-2 victory at the 2026 World Cup.
Croatia seek a response
Croatia come into the match after a difficult result, having been beaten 4-1 by Spain on 29 September. Slaven Bilic’s side are still trying to find consistency after a disappointing World Cup 2026 campaign, during which England also defeated them 4-2.
The home team will not have the benefit of vocal support at Stadion HNK Rijeka, as the game will be played behind closed doors. That could make their task even more difficult against an England side who have shown greater attacking strength in recent performances.
England began the current campaign with a narrow 3-2 defeat by Spain but responded by beating Czechia 2-0. Thomas Tuchel’s team delivered a more convincing display in that victory and arrive in better form than their opponents.
England tipped to win
England are considered the favourites, although Croatia remain capable of troubling the visitors. The Three Lions’ recent attacking performances under Tuchel, together with their latest win over Croatia at the World Cup, give them the edge.
Africafoot’s prediction is a 3-1 victory for England.
The available betting prices are 3.70 for a Croatia win, 3.60 for a draw and 1.72 for an England victory.
