Croatia

Croatia is a Central European country of approximately 4 million people on the Adriatic coast, a member of the EU and NATO since 2013 and 2009 respectively. The country declared independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, and Luka Modrić, Born during the Croatian War of Independence, has become its most globally recognised figure. Croatia's national football team, nicknamed the Vatreni (the Blazers), punch consistently above their weight for a nation of their size. Their red-and-white chequered kits are among the most recognisable in international football.

Croatia was issued a reasoned opinion by the European Commission on 29 April 2026, alongside Poland and Portugal, for failing to transpose Directive 2024/1711 by the January 2025 Deadline, placing the country one procedural step from Court of Justice referral, fifteen months past the consumer-price protection deadline.

Croatia reached the 2018 World Cup final in Russia, losing to France 4-2, and finished third in Qatar 2022, a remarkable run of consistency for a country with a smaller population than most World Cup opponents. The 2026 squad is built around Luka Modric, now 40, in what is widely expected to be his farewell tournament.

After losing 4-2 to England on 17 June in Dallas, Croatia responded on 23 June with a 1-0 win over Panama in Toronto, Ante Budimir scoring on 54 minutes, to keep their knockout hopes alive. Modric earned his 200th international cap in the process, becoming the fourth man in history to reach that milestone. The result eliminated Panama and set up a decisive final group fixture for Croatia. Croatia's continued ability to compete at the top level, despite the ageing of their 2018 golden generation, reflects an unusually deep domestic football culture for a small nation.

Croatia's run ended in the Round of 32 on 2 July, beaten 2-1 by Portugal in Toronto after Ivan Perisic's 53rd-minute opener was cancelled out by a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty and a stoppage-time header from Goncalo Ramos. The defeat closes Modric's tournament at 40, in what he and the Croatian federation had already framed as his likely international farewell, capping a run that took in a World Cup final, a third-place finish, and two further knockout campaigns since his generation first broke through.

On 16 July 2026, Thailand brought Croatia under a restructured 30-day Visa-exemption tier covering all 27 EU member states, alongside Bulgaria, part of a wider reshuffle that also created new 15-day and visa-on-arrival tiers. The announcements await Royal Gazette publication before taking effect.