Croatia vs England LIVE: Nations League match stream, confirmed team news, lineups and fan reaction
England continue their 2026/27 Nations League campaign in Rijeka this evening. The Three Lions travel to Croatia hoping to build on Tuesday's 2-0 win over the Czech Republic to further show there will be no lasting hangover from finishing third at the World Cup earlier in the summer.
Thomas Tuchel's side should be in good spirits at the Stadion HNK Rijeka, though the game is scheduled to be played behind closed doors. However, the stadium could be almost full despite the UEFA ban as part of a punishment handed down to Croatia following sanctions that date back to March 2025, and incidents involving fans around matches against France in the quarter-finals of the Nations League.
Today marks a second homecoming for Slaven Bilic after replacing Zlatko Dalic as Croatia head coach in the summer and he will keen for an immediate response from his side after their 4-1 loss to reigning world champions Spain in midweek. Follow Croatia vs England LIVE below with dedicated match blog, with expert insight and analysis from Dom Smith.
Croatia vs England latest news
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Alarming statistic...
Absolutely no surprises that Bilic has brought Baturina and Musa in to start. They were Croatia's goalscorers against England in their group-stage meeting in Dallas in both teams' World Cup opener back in June.
As for the Croats...
A simple 4-2-3-1 lineup from Bilic, who hands first starts to Petar Musa and Martin Baturina, who will operate off the left.
Just one look at that back six - including the midfield pivot - and you get an idea of how stacked this Croatian squad still is.
Ivan Perisic, the former Spurs man, may well be getting on, but he still has bundles of energy, and he will be looking to use that from left-back, in an attacking decision from Bilic, to field the natural winger at full-back.
Josip Stanisic is more reserved in attacking moves but certainly has an eye for goal, and then there are the two central defenders, Man City’s Josko Gvardiol and former Tottenham man Luka Vuskovic, now of Brighton, who are known for their goalscoring knacks too.
Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic speak for themselves. Scott and Anderson could well have their work cut out.
I think there will be lots of England fans very pleased to see Alex Scott handed a start alongside Elliot Anderson in midfield. Scott is a player many people feel could be the tempo-setter England have been crying out for, and after a cameo off the bench in Prague he now gets the chance to test himself against one of the best midfielders in the history of the sport in the form of Luka Modric.
Big night for Scott and for England's hopes of finishing in the top two in Group 3 and reaching March's Nations League quarter-finals.
Croatia lineup
Livakovic; Stanisic, Vuskovic, Gvardiol, Perisic; Modric, Kovacic; Ivanovic, Sucic, Baturina; Musa
Pandur, Kotarski, Smolcic, Sutalo, Kramaric, Vlasic, Pasalic, Jakic, Pasalic, Matanovic, Sucic, Misic
England lineup
England XI: Pickford; Quansah, Konsa, Guehi, Hall; Anderson, Scott; Saka, Bellingham, Gordon; Kane
Alexander-Arnold, Chalobah, Trafford, Ngumoha, Branthwaite, Lewis-Skelly, Rogers, Garner, Calvert-Lewin, Gibbs-White, Eze, Steele
Duo set to return
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