- by croatiaweek
- January 21, 2026
- in
Ivan Perišić
Croatia will face Slovenia in a friendly match on Saturday, 7 June, in Varaždin, in what will be the Vatreni’s final match before departing for the FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States.
The encounter will be the 13th meeting between Croatia and Slovenia since independence, making Slovenia Croatia’s most frequent international opponent.
The two sides move clear of France and Turkey, against whom Croatia have each played 12 times.
The match will represent Croatia’s last competitive test before travelling to their base camp in Alexandria, where the squad will be stationed during the group stage of the World Cup.
As part of their wider preparation schedule, Croatia will also play two high-profile friendlies in March, facing Colombia on 26 March and Brazil on 31 March in Orlando.
Earlier in June, the Vatreni will meet Belgium in Rijeka on 2 June as part of the first phase of World Cup preparations.
Croatian Football Federation (HNS) president Marijan Kustić emphasised the importance of the Slovenia fixture, both competitively and symbolically.
“On the pitch, Slovenia are a frequent and always demanding opponent for us, while off the pitch we enjoy excellent relations between our two federations, which was also evident in organising this match,” said Kustić.
“I am confident that Slovenia will be a serious test for our team, and that the fans in Varaždin will send the Vatreni off to the World Cup in the best possible way, in a positive and uplifting atmosphere.”
Kustić also highlighted the careful planning behind Croatia’s World Cup preparations.
“By selecting a high-quality base camp and arranging strong friendly matches in line with the wishes of coach Zlatko Dalić and his staff, we have created an excellent framework for World Cup preparations. Before departing for the United States, we will ensure that every detail is prepared to the standard befitting a team that has won silver and bronze at the last two World Cups.”
Ticket sale information for the Croatia–Slovenia match will be announced at a later date via the official channels of the Croatian Football Federation.
World Cup Group Fixtures
Croatia will open their World Cup campaign on 17 June in Dallas against England, with kick-off scheduled for 22:00 Croatian time.
Their second group match will be played on 23 June against Panama in Toronto (24 June at 01:00 Croatian time), before concluding the group stage on 27 June against Ghana in Philadelphia, with kick-off at 23:00 Croatian time.