Reported by Weng Patrick Atokor l Journalist at Weng Global
England will face Croatia in the UEFA Nations League on Saturday without Manchester City defender Nico O’Reilly, who has withdrawn from the squad with an injury as Harry Kane prepares to lead Thomas Tuchel’s side in Rijeka.
The Group A3 encounter is scheduled for 5pm BST on October 3 at Stadion HNK Rijeka, with England entering the match after a 2-0 victory over Czechia in Prague.
O’Reilly’s withdrawal adds to a growing list of absences affecting England during the international window. The 21-year-old left-back returned to Manchester City for further assessment after missing the victory over Czechia.
England confirmed that no replacement would be called up for O’Reilly.
O’Reilly joins growing injury list
O’Reilly is the latest England player to leave the squad after injuries forced Tino Livramento, Kobbie Mainoo, Cole Palmer, Marcus Rashford and Declan Rice to withdraw earlier in the international window.
James Garner and Morgan Gibbs-White were subsequently added to the squad.
Despite the absences, Tuchel has retained a squad containing experienced players including Kane, Jude Bellingham, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jordan Pickford and Bukayo Saka.
Lewis Hall is also available after featuring against Czechia, while Alexander-Arnold returned to the starting lineup in Prague and provided the cross from which Anthony Gordon opened the scoring.
Kane remains available for Croatia clash
Kane remains a central figure for England as the team prepares for its third Group A3 match.
The Bayern Munich striker scored England’s second goal in the 2-0 victory over Czechia, following Anthony Gordon’s opener. The result came three days after England suffered a 3-2 defeat to world champions Spain at Wembley.
England therefore have three points from their opening two matches and are currently second in Group A3, behind Spain.
Tuchel said before the Croatia match that the team had trained well despite the demanding schedule. He also confirmed that O’Reilly was the only player absent from the final training session after leaving camp for treatment.
Croatia also face a difficult test
Croatia come into the meeting after suffering a 4-1 defeat to Spain in Seville on September 29.
Before that loss, Croatia had opened their Nations League campaign with a 2-1 victory over Czechia, with veteran captain Luka Modrić among the key figures in the team’s victory.
The Croatia side is now under the management of Slaven Bilić, who returned to the national team following Zlatko Dalić’s departure after Croatia’s 2026 World Cup campaign.
England and Croatia also met during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, when England won 4-2 in the group stage.
Match to be played behind closed doors
Saturday’s encounter in Rijeka will be played behind closed doors as part of a UEFA sanction.
England’s official fixture information confirms the match at Stadion HNK Rijeka will have no normal public attendance because of the sanction.
The unusual setting adds another element to a match that could have significance in the Group A3 standings as both teams seek to keep pace with Spain.
England’s Nations League position
England began the campaign with a 3-2 home defeat to Spain before recovering with a 2-0 win against Czechia.
Against Spain, England briefly turned the match around after falling behind early, with Gordon equalising before Kane put the hosts ahead. Spain eventually won 3-2 through Mikel Oyarzabal.
Against Czechia, England took advantage after Czech midfielder Pavel Šulc was sent off in the first half. Gordon headed England ahead shortly after the interval before Kane doubled the advantage in the 69th minute.
The Croatia fixture is the third of four Nations League matches England will play during the September-October international window.
After the trip to Rijeka, England will return to Wembley to face Czechia on October 6.
What happens next
England will be looking to maintain their position near the top of Group A3 while managing a squad affected by several injuries.
For Tuchel, the Croatia match also provides another opportunity to assess emerging options while maintaining continuity with established players.
O’Reilly, meanwhile, will return to Manchester City for further medical assessment rather than taking part in the remaining Nations League fixtures in this international window.
The match is scheduled for 5pm BST on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at Stadion HNK Rijeka.
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Sources
- England Football — squad update confirming Nico O’Reilly’s withdrawal and the injury absences.
- England Football — official Croatia v England match centre and fixture details.
- Reuters — England’s 2-0 victory over Czechia and Group A3 developments.
- Reuters — England’s 3-2 defeat to Spain.
- Reuters — Thomas Tuchel’s comments ahead of Croatia and England’s group position.
