How to watch Croatia World Cup matches on HRT from abroad
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Croatia kick off their World Cup 2026 campaign today, June 17th, vs England at AT&T Stadium in Dallas at 4:00 PM ET / 1:00 PM PT / 10:00 PM CEST, which will be streamed on HRTi for free. Group L continues against Panama in Toronto on June 23rd at 7:00 PM ET / 4:00 PM PT / 1:00 AM CEST on June 24th. The group stage closes against Ghana at the Philadelphia Stadium on June 27th at 5:00 PM ET / 2:00 PM PT / 11:00 PM CEST.
Whether you are living abroad or traveling during the tournament, watching the Vatreni on HRT gives you the Croatian commentary and atmosphere you know from home. HRTi, the streaming platform of Croatia's public broadcaster HRT, carries all Croatia matches free in Croatia, but the platform is geo-restricted and will not load from an IP address outside Croatia. A VPN with a Croatian server changes your virtual location so the live broadcast plays as it would in Zagreb, Split, or Rijeka.
HRTi streams all Croatia World Cup 2026 matches free in Croatia via the official HRT streaming platform. The service is geo-restricted outside Croatia, but a VPN with a Croatian server unlocks it from anywhere so you can follow the Vatreni with the commentary you know from home. We recommend NordVPN for reliable Croatian server access and smooth HD streaming.
Where to watch Croatia at the 2026 World Cup
| Country | Streaming service | Price | Local kickoff time | Notes |
| Croatia | HRTi | Free | CEST per match | All Croatia matches free. Available on web, iOS, Android, and Smart TV. Geo-blocked outside Croatia. |
How to watch Croatian TV from abroad with a VPN
HRTi is the official streaming platform of Croatian Radiotelevision (HRT) and carries all Croatia World Cup matches free inside Croatia. The service is available on web browsers, iOS, Android, and smart TVs, making it accessible on any device with a VPN. For a full breakdown of VPN providers, see our guide to the best VPNs for streaming.
- Choose a VPN. We recommend NordVPN for watching Croatian TV from abroad. It runs servers across 212 locations including Croatia, delivers 86% speed retention on the NordLynx protocol in our testing, and supports Smart DNS for smart TVs that do not have a native VPN app.
- Install the VPN app on your device. NordVPN is available on Windows, macOS, iPhone, Android, Fire TV, Android TV, and Apple TV. Download the app from your device's official app store.
- Connect to a Croatia server. Open the app, select Croatia, and connect. Zagreb is typically the fastest city option. Your connection now appears to come from Croatia.
- Open HRTi. Go to hrti.hrt.hr in your browser or download the HRTi app. Register for a free account if you do not already have one. The live match stream is available at kickoff.
- Start streaming before kickoff. Test the connection a few minutes early. If the stream does not load, switch to a different Croatia server in the NordVPN app and try again.
Croatia World Cup 2026 match schedule
Croatia's three group-stage matches are spread across Dallas, Toronto, and Philadelphia. The England match on June 17th is the most accessible for Croatian fans in Europe, kicking off at 10:00 PM CEST. The Panama fixture crosses midnight CEST, rolling into June 24th for viewers at home. Kickoff times are confirmed per FIFA's official Match Centre.
| Match | Date | Venue | ET / PT | CEST |
| England vs Croatia | June 17th, 2026 | Dallas Stadium, Dallas, TX | 4:00 PM ET / 1:00 PM PT | 10:00 PM CEST |
| Panama vs Croatia | June 23rd, 2026 | Toronto Stadium, Toronto, Canada | 7:00 PM ET / 4:00 PM PT | 1:00 AM CEST, June 24th |
| Croatia vs Ghana | June 27th, 2026 | Philadelphia Stadium, Philadelphia, PA | 5:00 PM ET / 2:00 PM PT | 11:00 PM CEST |
HRTi carries every Croatia group match and will continue to broadcast Vatreni knockout games if Croatia advance, through the final on July 19th, 2026.
Why you need a VPN to watch Croatian TV abroad
HRTi licenses its World Cup streams for viewers in Croatia only. When you open the platform from an IP address outside Croatia, the service detects your location and blocks access, even if you have a registered HRTi account. The geo-restriction applies regardless of which device or browser you use.
A VPN solves this by routing your connection through a Croatian server, so HRTi reads a Croatian IP address and the stream loads as it would at home. This is the standard method Croatian expats and travelers use to access home broadcasts from anywhere in the world. For a full guide to Croatian streaming options and VPN compatibility, see our article on how to watch Croatian TV abroad, or browse our best VPNs for streaming guide for a broader comparison.
Best VPNs for watching Croatian TV from abroad
- NordVPN, best overall for Croatian TV abroad. NordVPN starts from $3.49/month on the 2-year plan and covers 212 locations worldwide, including servers in Croatia. Our Cybernews testing shows 86% NordLynx speed retention, which holds up well for HD live sports on HRTi. Smart DNS support lets you also watch on Apple TV, Roku, and smart TVs without a native VPN app. Read our full NordVPN review for more.
- Surfshark, best budget option for households. Surfshark starts from $2.49/month and includes unlimited simultaneous device connections, making it practical when several family members want to watch on different devices at the same time. Its 4,500 servers span 100 countries including Croatia, and our Cybernews testing puts WireGuard speed retention at 80%, which is reliable enough for streaming HRTi from abroad. Full details are in our Surfshark review.
- IPVanish, best for unlimited connections. IPVanish starts from $2.19/month on the 2-year Essential plan and covers 3,400+ servers across 112 countries, including Croatia. Our Cybernews testing shows 92% download speed retention on WireGuard, which holds up well for HD live sports. Unlimited simultaneous connections are included on every plan, and a 7-day free trial is available on iOS and Android. See our full IPVanish review.
Frequently asked questions
Which Croatian channel broadcasts the 2026 World Cup?
HRT (Hrvatska radiotelevizija) holds the exclusive broadcast rights for Croatia and streams all Croatia matches free via its HRTi digital platform. HRTi is available on web browsers, iOS, Android, and smart TV apps.
Do I need an account to watch HRTi from abroad?
HRTi requires a free account to access live streams. Register your account before kickoff to avoid delays at match time. Once signed in, you only need a VPN connected to a Croatian server to unblock HRTi from outside Croatia.
Can I watch Croatia matches abroad without a VPN?
Croatian broadcasters are not available outside Croatia without a VPN. If you do not want to use a VPN, alternatives include BBC iPlayer or ITVX for English-language free coverage in the UK, or FOX and FS1 for English coverage in the US. Croatia's opening Group L fixture against England is on ITVX (ITV holds the England vs Croatia match per the published BBC/ITV split).
Which VPN server should I use for Croatian TV?
Connect to a server in Croatia — Zagreb is the fastest city option in most VPN apps. A Serbian, Slovenian, or other neighboring-country server will not reliably unblock HRTi. If the first Croatian server is slow at kickoff, switch to another one inside the app.
Does HRTi carry all Croatia knockout matches or only the group stage?
HRT holds the full tournament rights for Croatia, so HRTi will carry every Croatia match through the knockout rounds if the Vatreni advance, including the quarterfinals, semifinals, and final. The same VPN connection to a Croatian server will continue to unlock HRTi throughout the tournament.
