Croatia and Belgium National Teams Hold Key Friendly Ahead of 2026 World Cup. A friendly match took place in Rijeka between Croatia and Belgium. Both teams are preparing for the start of the World Cup. The encounter unfolded amid recent changes in tournament squads and groups.
At the Stadion HNK Rijeka, an international friendly match took place between the national teams of Croatia and Belgium. The encounter served as one of the final tests for both squads ahead of the start of the 2026 World Cup. The match attracted attention not only due to the status of the opponents but also because of the participation of key players who define the style and outcome of their national teams.
As noted by Diario As, the Belgian national team is playing a series of two warm-up games: the first against Croatia, and the second scheduled for June 6 against Tunisia. Croatia, in turn, will play Slovenia on June 7 after their match with Belgium. Both teams have already secured their spots in the final stage of the 2026 World Cup, where they will represent Europe among the continent's 16 best national squads.
Croatia fielded Luka Modrić, who once again became the central figure of the team. He was supported by players such as Gvardiol, Kovačić, Stanišić, and Livaković. On the bench remained Ćaleta-Car, Luka Sučić, Mario Pašalić, and Ante Budimir. For Belgium, the starting lineup included Courtois, De Bruyne, Doku, De Ketelaere, and Tielemans. Lukaku, Lukebakio, Matias Fernandez-Pardo, Meunier, and Witsel stayed on the bench.
The match was held at a stadium with a capacity of just over 8,000 spectators. Kickoff was set for 18:00 Spanish time. Both coaching staffs used the game to test tactical formations and the interplay between their leaders, which is especially important ahead of major tournaments.
As part of their preparation for the World Cup, both national teams have already found out their group stage opponents. Belgium will play in Group G against Egypt, Iran, and New Zealand. Croatia is in Group L, where it will face Ghana, England, and Panama. In the qualifiers, both teams finished first in their groups: Croatia outpaced the Czech Republic, Faroe Islands, Montenegro, and Gibraltar, while Belgium led Wales, North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, and Liechtenstein.
Among the European national teams that qualified for the 2026 World Cup are also Spain, France, Germany, England, the Netherlands, Sweden, Turkey, Austria, Switzerland, Norway, the Czech Republic, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Scotland, and Portugal. For Spanish fans, interest in the tournament is fueled not just by the national team's participation, but also by the performances of Europe's leading teams, among which Croatia and Belgium are traditionally considered strong rivals.
Attention to friendly matches is especially high these days, as they offer a chance to assess the readiness of key players and the squad's depth ahead of the World Cup. Similar interest was sparked by the recent quarterfinal run of Spaniard Rafa Jódar at Roland Garros, where he played for the first time on the tournament's main court against Alexander Zverev — read more about this event in the article .
Friendly matches ahead of major tournaments are traditionally used for finalizing the lineup and tactics. In 2026, interest in such games is especially high, given the expanded World Cup format and the arrival of new participants. For Croatia and Belgium, successful preparation could be the key to a confident start in the group stage. It is worth noting that both teams are among the favorites in the European part of the tournament, and their performances are closely watched not only by fans but also by experts across the continent.
