Czechia - Croatia

Czechia and Croatia begin their UEFA Nations League A Group 3 campaign on 26 September 2026 at Fortuna Arena. The hosts enter this matchday 1 encounter looking to establish early momentum, though they must navigate the challenge without the services of injured duo Tomas Soucek and David Doudera. The expected XI for Czechia features a defensive unit anchored by Martin Vitik and Ladislav Krejci, tasked with providing stability as they look to control the midfield battle through the likes of Michal Sadilek and Adam Karabec.

Croatia arrive with a seasoned core, as Luka Modric and Mateo Kovacic are expected to anchor the midfield alongside Ivan Perisic and Ante Budimir in attack. The two nations share a competitive history, most recently battling to a 0-0 draw in their World Cup qualification meeting on 9 October 2025. With both sides aiming to assert dominance in a challenging group, this opening fixture serves as a critical test of their current tactical cohesion.