Brazil confirm clash with Croatia in Orlando in March
- by croatiaweek
- in Sport
Brazil have officially confirmed that they will play a friendly match against Croatia on 31 March in Orlando, Florida, as part of their preparations for the upcoming World Cup.
The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) announced the fixture on Saturday, stating that the match will be played at Camping World Stadium, a venue located in a city with a large Brazilian community.
Before facing Croatia, Brazil will first play another high-profile friendly against France on 26 March in Boston.
The two matches form part of Brazil’s build-up towards the World Cup, with CBF highlighting the quality of both opponents.
In its announcement, the Brazilian federation reminded fans of Croatia’s recent success on the world stage. Croatia currently sit 10th in the FIFA rankings and finished third at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, having previously reached the final in Russia in 2018.
CBF men’s national teams coordinator Rodrigo Caetano emphasised the importance of the fixtures.
“These will be two matches of a very high level against two top teams in world football,” Caetano said.
Croatia head coach Zlatko Dalić has also underlined the importance of facing elite opposition in the lead-up to major tournaments.
“We don’t want easy matches that give us a false sense of security. These games will show us where we stand before the World Cup,” Dalić said earlier, outlining plans to face the world’s best teams.
Further details regarding kick-off times and ticket sales for the matches in the United States are expected to be announced in early January.
Croatia will compete in Group stages at the 2026 World Cup alongside England, Ghana and Panama, making these high-profile friendlies an important test as preparations continue.
