Croatia vs England Prediction (UEFA Nations League) Odds and Bets 03.10.2026

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Croatia
England
UEFA Nations League, 17:00 @ 03.10.2026

Croatia host England in Rijeka for Matchday 3 of UEFA Nations League Group A3, with both teams on three points after two matches. England recovered from defeat to Spain by beating Czechia, while Croatia followed a win in Prague with a heavy loss against Spain.

The main angle is England’s stronger attacking threat against a Croatia side that still has enough quality to cause problems going forward.

  • Fixture: Croatia vs England
  • Competition: UEFA Nations League 2026/27
  • Group: League A, Group A3
  • Date: Saturday 3 October 2026
  • Kick-off: 5:00pm BST
  • Venue: Stadion HNK Rijeka, Rijeka
  • Format: 90 minutes
  • UK TV: ITV and ITVX

How Croatia and England Arrive

Croatia have won three of their last five competitive matches, scoring in four of them, but defensive consistency remains a concern. Luka Modrić, Mateo Kovačić and Ivan Perišić still give them plenty of technical quality, although faster opponents have been able to expose space around their defensive structure.

England have also won three of their last five, but their attacking numbers are stronger, with 13 goals across that run. Harry Kane remains the main reference in attack, supported by players such as Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham and Anthony Gordon. Key factors:

  • England’s attacking ceiling: 13 goals across their last five competitive matches.
  • Croatia’s goal threat: They have scored in four of their last five.
  • Defensive vulnerability: Both teams have kept only one clean sheet in their previous five.
  • Recent H2H: England have the stronger overall record and won the latest meeting 4-2.
  • Venue factor: Croatia lose some of their usual home advantage because the match is being played under a stadium sanction.

Recent Head to Head and Match Outlook

The recent numbers point towards a match with chances at both ends. England have the stronger attacking profile, but Croatia’s midfield quality and recent scoring record make a clean sheet difficult to assume.

Both teams have seen BTTS land in four of their last five matches, while Croatia have already conceded five goals in two Nations League fixtures. That makes an England-leaning approach attractive, but with room for Croatia to score rather than expecting the visitors to dominate from start to finish.

Croatia vs England Odds

MarketOdds
Croatia win13/5
Draw14/5
England win9/10
England or Draw2/9
Over 2.5 Goals8/11
Both Teams to Score – Yes13/20
England Win and Both Teams to Score13/5

The outright prices underline England’s status as favourites, but I think the more useful distinction is between safety and value. England or draw is obviously much shorter, but it protects against Croatia’s ability to slow the game down through midfield. At the other end of the spectrum, England to win with both teams scoring gives us a much bigger price while remaining consistent with the recent scoring trends. Odds can move before kick-off.

Croatia vs England Predictions

Beni
The conservative one
Beni

England or Draw

Odds 1/5

I'm keeping this uncomplicated. Croatia have enough quality to make England work, so I do not need to force the away win. But with England carrying the stronger attacking numbers and Croatia missing their normal home atmosphere, I would be surprised if the hosts took all three points.

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Beto
The bold one
Beto

England to Win and Both Teams to Score

Odds 13/5

This is the one with a bit more bite. Croatia keep finding a goal, England have scored in five straight, and the June meeting finished 4-2. I can see England having the extra quality again, but something like 2-1 feels more realistic than a stress-free clean-sheet win.

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England or Draw (X2)
Category Football
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Daniel Harris Tipster
Expert sports betting analyst
Originally from Manchester, Daniel has been following English football and betting on sport for years. He now covers football and tennis as part of the BetBrothers tipster team, researching every selection before sharing it. His approach is simple: follow the sport closely, do the homework and only back a bet when he thinks the odds are worth it.