Croatia vs Faroe Islands H2H, prediction and probable lineups — 14 November 2025
In the penultimate round of World Cup qualification in Europe, Croatia will square off against the Faroe Islands. The match is set to take place in Rijeka on Friday, November 14. Kick-off is scheduled for 20:45 Central European Time. Here’s my take on who will come out on top in this clash.
Match preview
The Croatians come into this fixture in top form, having cemented their place at the top of the group. Throughout this qualifying campaign, the team has consistently played attacking football, averaging two to three goals per game, while dominating possession and making very few defensive errors.
Veteran leaders, particularly Luka Modrić—who dictates the tempo in midfield—and Mario Pašalić, who is always a threat going forward, have been especially influential. Croatia’s recent results are impressive: a string of convincing wins and not a single defeat in the group.
This kind of stability breeds confidence that Croatia can dominate the pitch against most opponents, and the Faroe Islands are unlikely to pose a significant threat to Dalić’s men.
Even a draw in this next match will guarantee the "Chequered Ones" top spot in the group and a direct ticket to the World Cup finals. There’s little doubt about Croatia’s win over the modest Faroe Islands, and the following match against Montenegro will be a mere formality.
The Faroe Islanders approach this game as clear underdogs, but the team has shown grit in every match, playing disciplined and cohesive defense. In this qualifying cycle, the Faroe Islands have racked up an impressive points tally, marking their best-ever campaign.
This unheralded European side has managed to put up a fight against all opponents, limiting the favorites’ scoring and capitalizing on counterattacks. They have four wins and just one loss (which came in the first meeting against Croatia).
Victories over Gibraltar were no surprise, but the 4-0 demolition of Montenegro, and especially the 2-1 upset against the Czech Republic, were genuine sensations.
Realistically, their chances of reaching the World Cup are slim, but the very fact that they’re still in the playoff hunt is already a huge achievement. The Faroe Islands need to beat Croatia and hope for a Czech slip-up against Gibraltar. Let’s be honest, that scenario is more fantasy than reality.
Match facts
- Croatia have kept four consecutive clean sheets.
- Croatia are unbeaten at home for two years.
- The Faroe Islands have won their last three matches.
- The last three Faroe Islands away matches all ended 1-0.
- Croatia average 2.3 goals per home game, while the Faroe Islands average 0.4 goals per away game.
Probable lineups
- Croatia: Livaković, Stanišić, Vuskovic, Ćaleta-Car, Gvardiol, Modrić, Sučić, Kramarić, Perišić, Pašalić, Ivanović.
- Faroe Islands: Lamhauge, Edmundsson, Faero, Vatnhamar, Benjaminsen, Davidsen, Olsen, Turi, Sorensen, Frederiksberg, Edmundsson.
H2H
The only previous meeting between these teams ended in a narrow victory for Croatia.
Prediction
The Faroe Islands can be proud of this qualifying campaign, which they’ve played almost flawlessly. They didn’t manage to seriously challenge for a World Cup spot, but nobody expected them to get this far. I’m backing Croatia to win comfortably with a -2 goal handicap.
