Croatian Futsal Team Returns to the World Championship
From August 28 to September 6, 48 national teams will gather in Essen, Germany, with Croatia facing Italy, South Africa, and Peru in Group G.
From August 28 to September 6, 48 national teams will gather in Essen, Germany, with Croatia facing Italy, South Africa, and Peru in Group G.
Just fifteen days remain until the start of the Socca World Championship in small-sided football. The German city of Essen will host the tournament from August 28 to September 6, featuring 48 national teams, including Croatia once again.
Essen will host the world's best socca teams for the second time. The first was in 2023, when Croatia finished fourth. This year's appearance carries extra weight because the Croatian team did not participate in last year's World Championship in Mexico due to a lack of funding.
In recent years, Croatia has consistently ranked among the best national teams in the world and Europe. They won silver at the European Championship in 2024 and bronze in 2025, and returned from the 2024 World Championship in Oman with a bronze medal.
The Croatian team will be led from the bench by head coach Dino Kovač, who will announce the final squad at the beginning of next week. Ahead of the tournament, the coach expressed optimism and faith in the team for DalmacijaDanas.
"We are looking forward to returning to the World Championship. We have had excellent results in recent years, and they give us the right to believe that we can achieve great things in Essen as well. We are aware of the quality of our opponents and the fact that there are no easy matches at a World Championship, but we believe in this team. The first goal is to get out of the group, and after that, we will take it match by match. Croatia has shown in recent years that it belongs at the very top of this sport, and we want to confirm that again in Essen," Kovač said.
The draw placed Croatia in Group G. The Croatian players have already faced Italy and South Africa at major tournaments, while Peru represents the biggest unknown for the coaching staff.
Group stage match schedule:
All Croatian matches from the World Championship in Essen will be available via live television broadcasts on Sport Klub and ZonaSport TV channels.
