Croatia and England Clash in UEFA Nations League
Croatia and England will face off in a UEFA Nations League Group A3 match on October 3, 2026, at Rujevica Stadium in Rijeka.

In Brief
- •Croatia and England will face off in a UEFA Nations League Group A3 match on October 3, 2026, at Rujevica Stadium in Rijeka.
- •England captain Harry Kane will go up against Croatia's veteran midfielder Luka Modric, who is still playing a vital role at 41.
- •Both teams have a mixed start to the competition, with one win and one loss each.
- •England last met Croatia in a 4-2 World Cup group game on June 17, 2026, with Kane scoring a brace.
- •Key players to watch include Luka Modric and Ivan Perisic for Croatia, and Harry Kane and Anthony Gordon for England.
Why It Matters
This match is significant as it continues the UEFA Nations League competition, which aims to reduce meaningless friendlies and provide competitive matches for top-ranked teams. The outcome of this game could impact both teams' standings in Group A3 and their overall performance in the league. Additionally, the match features some of the most experienced and talented players in the world, making it a highly anticipated fixture for football fans.
Key Details
- Date
- October 3, 2026
- Time
- 6pm local time (16:00 GMT)
- Location
- Rujevica Stadium, Rijeka, Croatia
- Competition
- UEFA Nations League 2026-27
- Group
- Group A3
- Last Meeting
- June 17, 2026, FIFA World Cup
- Last Meeting Score
- England 4-2 Croatia
Context & Background
The UEFA Nations League was founded in 2018 to reduce the number of meaningless friendlies and give nations competitive matches against top-ranked teams. It features a league structure with promotion and relegation.
Original Reporting & Sources
VNews is an independent briefing product. Original reporting remains credited to the following publishers:
This brief was synthesized automatically using attributed third-party reporting. VNews is a digital news publication produced under the VContent Group brand and operated by Francis Vincent Sunday in Ghana, independent from the publishers cited above. Read our AI Transparency Policy and Editorial & Corrections Policy.