The Alexandria Brief's coverage of the Croatian national soccer team's month-long stay in Alexandria for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, from base camp through the Round of 32.
Ahead of Croatia's Round of 32 match against Portugal on Thursday, the West End restaurant hosts a watch party — with Fox 5 DC planning live pre-game coverage. Fans are encouraged to arrive early.
On their final morning in the city, Marin Pongračić and Nikola Vlašić reflected on the hotel and training-center staff, Episcopal's "crazy" facilities, and a month that ends Tuesday — as the team departs for its Round of 32 match against Portugal.
Visit Alexandria president Todd O'Leary says a month as Croatia's World Cup home gave the city global visibility it could never have afforded — and "rocket fuel" for its sports-tourism push. The full economic picture will come by year's end.
The Alexandria boarding school beat out more than 60 sites to become the Vatreni's home base. With the team departing this week, director of auxiliary programs Dan O'Neil looks back on golf-cart rides, ice shortages — and a choice he didn't see coming.
At a press conference in Alexandria, the coach explained how he took public responsibility to restore the team's confidence — and the federation confirmed the Vatreni will leave the city for good after Tuesday.
Nikola Vlašić's header off a Luka Modrić corner beat Ghana 2-1 in Philadelphia, sending Croatia to the Round of 32 against Portugal — and the team returned overnight to the city that has hosted it all month.
Defender and midfielder field questions before Croatia faces Ghana
A World Cup team made Alexandria home for a month. As Croatia prepares to leave, here's a case for making the friendship last — starting with a fifth sister city.
The coach offered an unqualified endorsement of the team's monthlong base as Croatia prepares to leave the city for a decisive World Cup finale against Ghana.
The Black Stars and the Vatreni both spent time based in the Alexandria area before the World Cup. On Saturday in Philadelphia, they meet in a Group L finale that could decide who advances — and who goes home.
The 34-year-old striker came off the bench to head home Josip Stanišić's cross — becoming Croatia's oldest World Cup scorer — as a 1-0 win over Panama set up a winner-advances finale against Ghana on Saturday in Philadelphia.
Bottom of Group L after the England loss, Croatia faces Panama in Toronto on Tuesday night, with the coach insisting his healthy, fully fit squad must play like the favorites it is.
FC Dallas striker Petar Musa scored in the city he calls home, while defender Josip Stanišić — Harry Kane's Bayern teammate — revealed he knew exactly where England's captain would put the penalty that decided the opener.
Petar Sučić and Martin Baturina — clubmates, roommates and the source of Croatia's goal against England — are the young engine the Vatreni lean on as they face a near must-win against Panama.
Sitting last in Group L after the England loss, Croatia faces a near must-win against Panama on Tuesday — as veteran Andrej Kramarić and debutant Luka Vušković, marking very different World Cup moments, both insist the team will respond.
A day after the 4-2 loss, the Croatia coach owned his team's worst set-piece defending in years — but insisted the World Cup is far from over, with a pivotal Panama match next.