Eight clubs from six countries will compete on the pitches at Maksimir from Thursday to Sunday, with all matches available live or via the Dinamo Plus platform.
The international youth football tournament Mladen Ramljak, which brings together some of Europe's top football academies, kicks off on Thursday, August 6, 2026. For the 23rd time, the pitches near the stadium in Maksimir will be the hub of football talent, and this year's edition is made even more special by the return of Hajduk after a 13-year absence.
A total of eight clubs from six European countries will take part in the tournament. In Group A, hosts GNK Dinamo will face Belgium's Club Brugge, Italy's Juventus, and Portugal's Benfica. Group B is led by Split's Hajduk, joined by Dutch side Ajax, Spain's Athletic Bilbao, and Italy's Bologna. The matches will be played on pitches named after Croatian football legends Cico Kranjčar and Luka Modrić, designated as pitches three and four.
"The north sings the most beautiful ballad to the city 💙," GNK Dinamo posted on their official Twitter profile on August 4, announcing the tournament alongside a photo of Luka Stanzl.
The competition spans four days, with morning and afternoon slots. Here's the full schedule:
Thursday, August 6
9:00 AM Ajax - Athletic Bilbao (Pitch 4)
10:45 AM Hajduk - Bologna (Pitch 4)
5:30 PM Club Brugge - Benfica (Pitch 3)
7:15 PM Dinamo - Juventus (Pitch 3)
Friday, August 7
9:00 AM Athletic Bilbao - Bologna (Pitch 4)
10:45 AM Hajduk - Ajax (Pitch 4)
5:30 PM Benfica - Juventus (Pitch 3)
7:15 PM Dinamo - Club Brugge (Pitch 3)
Saturday, August 8
9:00 AM Ajax - Bologna (Pitch 4)
10:45 AM Hajduk - Athletic Bilbao (Pitch 4)
5:30 PM Dinamo - Benfica (Pitch 3)
7:15 PM Juventus - Club Brugge (Pitch 3)
Sunday, August 9
8:30 AM 7th Place Match: 4A - 4B (Pitch 4)
8:30 AM 5th Place Match: 3A - 3B (Pitch 3)
10:15 AM 3rd Place Match: 2A - 2B (Pitch 4)
6:30 PM Final: 1A - 1B (Pitch 3)
8:15 PM Closing Ceremony and Winner Announcement
Good news for all football fans: admission to all matches is free. For those who can't make it to Maksimir, the organizers have arranged live streams on the Dinamo Plus platform. The tournament could also carry extra historical weight, as there is speculation that this might be the last edition before the demolition of the old Maksimir complex.
"For those who can't fall asleep without the traditional night photo 😉," reads Dinamo's Twitter post from August 5, alongside another photo of Luka Stanzl, further building the atmosphere ahead of the tournament's start.
