Tickets now on sale for anticipated Croatia-Wales match
Tickets are now available for the anticipated upcoming 2024 European Qualifier soccer match between Croatia and Wales in Split, the Croatian capital. The match is set to take place on Saturday March 25 at 8:45 pm local time.
International fans from outside of Europe do not need to obtain an ETIAS for Croatia to visit the country for the match, as the launch of the electronic travel authorization has recently been postponed until 2024.
The match will take place at the Stadium Poljud in Split, which has a capacity of 33,987 spectators. The stadium has hosted 5 national team matches in the last 5 years. The most recent game, Croatia against France, which ended in a 1-1 tie, drew 30,000 fans.
Some controversy about the venue arose in early February after the Football Association of Wales (FAW) undertook a site visit to Croatia to inspect the stadium, which is normal practice before an away game.
However, after the FAW held a meeting with the Welsh Football Supporters Association, fan representative Paul Corkrey suggested that the stadium was “not fit for purpose” for a qualifying match amid “nightmare” safety conditions.
As a result of the complaint, FAW security officer Wayne Nash wrote to UEFA about his security concerns. However, Nash DID concede that the stadium does generate an amazing atmosphere, and the concerns seem to have since been dropped.
Tickets for the match are available for purchase through the official ticket portal of the Croatian Football Association.
Advance tickets are available until March 24 at the following prices:
- West stand – middle: 30 euros
- West stand: 25 euros
- East stand – middle: 20 euros
- East stand: 15 euros
- North stand: 12 euros
Tickets can also be bought on the day of the match at a slightly higher cost:
- West stand – middle: 33 euros
- West stand: 27 euros
- East stand – middle: 23 euros
- East stand: 20 euros
- North stand: 13 euros
Regardless of their residence location, only Croatian citizens have the ability to make these online purchases after providing the required personal information.
The most passes one individual can purchase is four (4). The buyer inputs information about himself as well as information about other fans for whom he purchases seats; these additional fans need not all be Croatian residents.
Online ticket sales are only permitted up until the commencement of the game or until all seats are filled.
The Football Association of Wales (FAW) was allocated approximately 1,700 tickets for the qualifying match. Sales for these passes already closed Monday on February 20.
The match against Wales will mark the Croatian national football team’s first since winning the bronze medal at the 2022 FIFA World Cup held in Qatar.
The team, which included star players such as Luka Modric and was led by coach Zlatko Dalić, showed great determination and resilience at the World Cup, winning all of their knockout stage matches to reach the semi-finals.
In the semi-finals, Croatia faced off against Brazil, and eventually emerging victorious with a final score of 4-2.
This win secured the team’s place in the semi-final match against Argentina, and they went on to beat Morocco 2-1 to secure third place in the finals.
The upcoming match against Wales will mark the opening of Croatia’s Euro 2024 qualifying campaign. It will be followed by a qualifier against Turkey on March 28.
The Croatian team will also take on the Netherlands in the Nations League semi-finals later in the year. The match is currently scheduled for June 14.
Rumors have swirled that star midfielder Modric would retire before Euro 2024, to be held in Germany. The 37-year-old player extended his own national record to 162 caps after Croatia’s win over Morocco.
However, following Croatia’s bronze medal win in Qatar, Modric himself said: “We will see. I need to go step by step. I am enjoying the national team. I feel happy. I still think I can perform on a high level and I want to continue until at least until the Nations League”.
Additionally, Dalic has expressed his confidence that Modric will participate in the tournament. “I think it is quite certain that he will be– but Luka Modric will decide personally as well how he feels”, he said.
“Knowing how he feels about football and the Croatia national team, I’m quite sure he will, but it is his decision only”, Dalic added.
The last time that the Croatian and Welsh national teams faced off was in October 2019 in a Euro 2020 qualifier. The match ended in a 1-1 draw, with goals scored by Croatia’s Nikola Vlasic and Wales’s Gareth Bale.
