Players from Croatia’s national football team pose for a pregame photo during 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying play. Croatia will make Alexandria its official Team Base Camp during FIFA World Cup 2026 this summer. Courtesy photo
ALEXANDRIA, VA – Alexandria residents and visitors are invited to a free waterfront celebration welcoming the Croatian National Football Team to the city as excitement builds around FIFA World Cup 2026.
The City of Alexandria will host “Flavors & Sounds of Croatia – Alexandria” on Saturday, June 6, from 5 to 8 p.m. at Waterfront Park in Old Town. The public event will celebrate Alexandria’s role as the official Team Base Camp for Croatia during the World Cup and will feature live music, dance performances, food vendors, and family-friendly activities along the Potomac River.
The celebration will take place at Waterfront Park, located at 1 Prince Street. In the event of rain, festivities will move indoors to the first floor of the Torpedo Factory Art Center at 105 N. Union Street.
Alexandria City Manager James Parajon is expected to open the festivities with remarks recognizing the city’s partnership with the Croatian Embassy and the Croatian National Football Team.
The City said in a press release today that Alexandria will welcome visitors and soccer fans from around the world as Croatia makes the city its official World Cup home base.
“Residents and visitors are invited to celebrate Croatian culture, music, and food along the waterfront,” the City said in the press release today.
Earlier this year, Croatia selected Alexandria as its official Team Base Camp for FIFA World Cup 2026, making the city the team’s operational home during tournament play this summer. According to Visit Alexandria and international soccer reports, the team will stay at Hotel AKA Alexandria in Old Town and train at Episcopal High School during the tournament.
This FIFA World Cup 2026 wall chart poster tracks match schedules, host cities, and tournament brackets for this summer’s World Cup across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The poster is available for purchase on Etsy. Purchase the poster here.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup runs from June 11 through July 19 across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with the championship match scheduled for MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
For Alexandria — a city that prides itself on international connections and waterfront hospitality — the event marks one of the first major public celebrations tied to the World Cup partnership.
Croatia enters the tournament as one of international soccer’s most respected “dark horse” teams. The nation of fewer than four million people stunned the soccer world by reaching the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final and followed that run with a third-place finish in 2022.
Much of the attention remains focused on legendary captain Luka Modrić, the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner who is expected to appear in his fifth World Cup at age 40. Croatia manager Zlatko Dalić recently told reporters that the team’s “main goal is to get through the group,” adding that Croatia still has “quality, youth and experience.”
Analysts say Croatia may no longer be considered a tournament favorite on paper, but the program’s consistency on the world stage continues to earn respect internationally.
The June 6 celebration will showcase Croatian culture through live entertainment and authentic cuisine.
Confirmed performers include Muška klapa Podvorje, a Croatian a cappella group known for rich Dalmatian-style harmonies, along with an authentic Croatian Tamburitza band featuring traditional folk dancers, lively rhythms, and colorful costumes.
Local food vendors and local businesses participating in the event include:
- Old House Cosmopolitan, serving authentic Croatian cuisine and wine
- Dolci Gelati
- Museum of Illusions, offering interactive games and ticket discounts
- Alexandria-area food trucks, with additional vendors expected to be announced
The City also encouraged Alexandrians to “bring your family and friends to join Alexandria in welcoming our Croatian guests in true community spirit,” according to the press release.
The June 6 event is free and open to the public.
For residents needing language access assistance, free interpretation and translation services are available by emailing [email protected] or calling 703-746-3960.
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