At the Fortuna Arena in Prague on Thursday, October 9, the Czech Republic and Croatia face off in the most anticipated match of Group L in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. The two teams are currently leading the standings, both with 12 points. On paper, however, Croatia is still favored for direct qualification to the next World Cup, having played one match less so far and having already won the first-leg clash last June with a convincing 5-1 victory. The Czech Republic aims to challenge for the win, securing a home victory against their direct rival and hoping that Croatia may slip in the upcoming matches. For Croatia, even a draw could be enough to maintain their top spot and face their next home match against Gibraltar with less pressure. Since the two strongest teams in Group L are facing each other, while the other teams are too far behind to be contenders, it’s clear that the outcome of this match will reveal which team—Czech Republic or Croatia—has the greatest chances of securing a direct spot in the World Cup 2026.

Czech Republic's Recent Form and Key Stats

The Czech Republic is in excellent form, having lost only once in the last ten matches across World Cup qualifiers and the Nations League. In their latest game on September 5, Hasek’s squad defeated Montenegro 2-0 away, thanks to goals from Cerv and Cerny.

After five matchdays, the Czechs have collected 12 points, from 4 wins and 1 loss, averaging 2.2 goals scored and 1.2 conceded per game. Their defense, despite conceding 6 goals in total, has proven solid, keeping a clean sheet on three occasions, particularly against lower-ranked opponents like Montenegro and Gibraltar.

Another strong point is their home advantage: the team has won all of their last five home games in qualifiers and the Nations League, scoring an average of 2.2 goals while conceding just 0.8 per match.

Croatia's Recent Form and Key Stats

Croatia is also in great form, coming off four consecutive wins, the latest being a 4-0 victory against Montenegro on September 8, with goals from Jakic, Kramaric, Perisic, and an own goal by Kuc. This convincing win confirmed the progress of Dalic’s side after their narrow 1-0 win over the Faroe Islands a few days earlier.

Croatia shares the top of Group L with the Czech Republic at 12 points, but with one game in hand. The team is showing an impressive attacking performance, scoring an average of 4.25 goals per match, while maintaining a strong defensive record, conceding only 0.25 goals per game.

Away from home, Croatia has won their last two matches (7-0 against Gibraltar and 1-0 in the Faroe Islands), breaking a four-game winless streak in the Nations League (losses against Portugal, Scotland, France, and a draw with Poland).

Czech Republic vs Croatia Prediction by BetMines

BetMines predicts a very balanced match between the Czech Republic and Croatia: the home win probability is 41%, while the away win stands at 36%. A draw is slightly less likely at 24%.

The balance is due to both teams’ good form and the high stakes: the winner will take a significant step toward direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

Regarding the goals market, BetMines’ algorithm indicates a high probability for Over 2.5 goals (60%) and both teams to score (60%), considering the strong offensive output shown so far in Group L by both sides.

Probable Lineups Czech Republic vs Croatia

CZECH REPUBLIC (4-2-3-1): Stanek; Doudera, Holes, Krejci, Zeleny; Soucek, Cerv; Kusej, Sulc, Provod; Chory. Coach: Ivan Hasek.

CROATIA (4-2-3-1): Livakovic; Jakic, Sutalo, Caleta-Car, Sosa; Modric, Sucic; Pasalic, Kramaric, Perisic; Ivanovic. Coach: Zlatko Dalic.