Croatia and England will meet on Saturday, October 3, at HNK Rijeka in a Group A3 match that arrives with both sides level on three points and with no local supporters in the stadium. The game, part of the Nations League 2026/27, will be played under a UEFA sanction on the Croatian federation, leaving only about one hundred visiting fans in the stands.
That makes the search around Croatia Vs England simple enough: this is a direct battle for second place at a ground that will feel unusually bare. England arrive after a 2-0 win in Prague and a 3-2 loss to Spain at Wembley, while Croatia have already beaten Chequia 2-1 away and lost 4-1 in Sevilla, leaving the group finely balanced before the next kick-off.
England’s selection picture is less settled than the results suggest. James Trafford started the first two matches, but Jordan Pickford is now being considered for a return in goal, a move that would bring more experience to a fixture carrying real weight. Tuchel is also weighing changes elsewhere after Prague, where Trent Alexander-Arnold delivered the cross for Gordon’s 1-0 goal and stood out, Trevoh Chalobah handled his first start against Chequia without problems, Marc Guéhi remained the one fixed defender across the opening two games, Lewis Hall offered an attacking option at left back, and Elliot Anderson kept his place in both Wembley and Prague.
The contrast is what gives Saturday’s match its edge. England’s recent win did not lock the side in place, and Croatia’s home advantage has been stripped away by sanction, so the meeting at HNK Rijeka becomes less about atmosphere than about control, selection and timing. If Pickford comes back in, it will be a clear sign that Tuchel still sees this as the moment to tighten the side rather than simply ride the momentum from Prague.
What happens next is straightforward: Croatia and England play on Saturday, October 3, and the lineup will show whether England treat the match as a continuation of the Prague win or as a chance to reset around more familiar names.
