FIFA World Cup 2026: Narrow Win Over Panama, But Will Croatia Even Make It Past The Group Stage?

Croatia has had a shaky start to the FIFA World Cup 2026. After a big loss to England, they just about managed a narrow win against Panama. But even with this victory, their chances of getting knocked out in the group stage are very real.

Croatia has finally got some points on the board at the FIFA World Cup 2026. After a rough 2-4 loss to England in their first game, they managed a tight 1-0 win against Panama. The only goal of the match came in the 54th minute from substitute Ante Budimir.

The game was played early on Wednesday morning, Indian time, at the Toronto Stadium in Canada. This win keeps Croatia's knockout hopes alive, at least on paper. For Panama, however, it's pretty much the end of the road.

They lost their first match to Ghana and this second loss means they are almost certainly out. The Croats now face a tough challenge. Their final group match is against Ghana, and the result of that game will decide everything.

A New Record for Modrić

This is the last World Cup for the legendary Luka Modrić, and he's still setting records. In the match against Panama, the star midfielder played his 200th game for the senior national team. This makes him only the second European footballer ever to reach this massive milestone.

But despite this personal achievement, the road ahead for his team looks tough. Croatian football is going through a major change right now. Their 'golden generation' of players is on its way out, and a new, younger squad is taking over. These young players will naturally need some time to settle in.

Can Croatia Qualify as a Third-Placed Team?

So, how can Croatia still qualify? According to this World Cup's format, the top two teams from each group go through automatically. Along with them, the eight best third-placed teams from all groups will also make it to the knockouts.

In Group L, both England and Ghana have four points after two matches, but England is at the top because of a better goal difference. If England wins their last match against Panama, they will top the group. For Croatia, the math is simple: they absolutely cannot afford to lose against Ghana.