Christian Segovia 
World Cup fever has arrived in Alexandria. Croatia’s national soccer team is using the Northern Virginia city as its home base during the 2026 tournament, and Old Town businesses are marking the occasion with special promotions, themed events, Croatian wine tastings, and places to watch the matches. Read on for more about how to get into the spirit of the tournament – with a Croatian twist.
From Croatia to Alexandria
The Croatian Football Federation, the governing body of the Croatian men’s national soccer team, picked Alexandria as its top spot out of 60 possible North American cities to be its home base for the tournament. Croatia’s technical director, Stipe Pletikosa, team manager, Iva Olivari, and spokesperson, Tomislav Pacak, narrowed their options to eight spots. After the coaching staff reviewed the information, Alexandria emerged as the top pick. Croatia’s team manager Iva Olivari said, “We thoroughly analysed more than 60 potential base camps before the draw, and after learning the match locations we created a shortlist of camps that met our criteria, which we then visited in person and studied in detail,” per HNS.
Croatia’s Technical Director Stipe Pletikosa said, “Alexandria offers us the best combination of an excellent training centre and a comfortable hotel with immediate proximity to the airport and good geographical position in relation to the cities where we will play our group stage matches,” per HNS. The Croatian team is staying at AKA Hotel, located at 625 First Street, and using Episcopal High School, located at 1200 N Quaker Lane, Alexandria, as its training grounds before matches.
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The drive from AKA Hotel to Episcopal High School is 15 minutes, and as we all know, DCA is another 15 minutes, so the location is about as central as it could be for the team’s needs. Episcopal’s athletic facilities include a running track, cardiovascular training equipment, gym equipment, and high-end recovery facilities that have hydrotherapy, cryotherapy, electrical stimulation, and ultrasounds.
Out of the 48 teams starting the tournament, 39 have home bases in the US, per FIFA. Episcopal High School is listed as a training facility next to several college and professional facilities, including several MLS stadiums.
Locals React
Alexandria’s Mayor Alyia Gaskins said, “Alexandria is thrilled to welcome Croatia’s national football team to our vibrant city,” per a City of Alexandria Press Release. The festivities began on June 6th with a Celebrate Croatia event, with Croatian music and food, hosted by the City of Alexandria.
At a June 10th ceremony, Mayor Alyia Gaskins gave Croatian Football Federation Technical Director Stipe Pletikosa a bowl and City of Alexandria coins to everyone on the Croatia national team, in exchange for Croatia’s jersey with Modric on the back as a start of a bond between Croatia and Alexandria. Goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic said, “We feel very welcome here,” per The Alexandria Brief.
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On Wednesday, June 10th, the Croatian team held an open practice and invited dozens of local youth soccer teams to watch. Hundreds of youth soccer players across different Alexandria leagues participated, according to The Zebra. Other youth groups invited included social service groups and community partners, with the goal of including as many children as possible in the event, according to the Alexandria Brief.
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So far, the team has reported enjoying its stay in Alexandria. They’ll have to come back another time to enjoy all the highlights: the team is only traveling between the hotel and the practice facility, according to The Alexandria Brief. The length of the team’s stay will be dictated by its tournament performance: once the group stage is over, teams will travel to each match, per tournament rules.
The Croatian team even reported sleeping well after a weekend full of fireworks and festivities. June 13, fireworks were fired up around the Alexandria waterfront as part of the Sails on the Potomac celebration. June 14th, near the National Mall, fireworks were shot for UFC Freedom 250 outside the White House for the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations.
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On June 13th, a reception was hosted in the team’s honor at the AKA hotel. The private event, Croatia in the Game, was part of an ongoing effort to promote American tourism in Croatia during the tournament. Actor John Malkovich was a guest of honor, according to HNS. His parents emigrated from Croatia, and he received Croatian citizenship in Zagreb in May 2026, per The Alexandria Brief. He’s also the star of the country’s current tourism campaign, “I Hear It’s Beautiful.”
What to Know about the Croatian National Team
In recent World Cup runs, Croatia in 2022 came in third place after winning against Morocco, 2-1. In its 2018 World Cup run, Croatia came second, losing to France 4-2 in the Final. Croatia odds to win the 2026 World Cup at the moment are 90-1, always subject to change.
Midfielder Luka Modric has the most international appearances, 196, as he enters his fifth World Cup. In the2018 runner-up, Modric showed how dominant he was in the World Cup and in winning the Champions League with Real Madrid, leading to him winning the Ballon d’Or.
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Other key players alongside Modric include Josko Gvardiol, a key defender; Mateo Kovacic, who helps Modric in midfield; and Dominik Livakovic, their goalkeeper who makes saves. A young defender to watch is Luka Vuskovic, as he makes his World Cup debut.
The team’s first tournament match in the group stage is on Wednesday, June 17th against England. They will face Panama on Tuesday, June 23rd, and Ghana on June 27th. The team’s performance in the group stage will dictate when and where they play next.
Local Businesses Celebrating Croatia
Alexandria’s Continues Arcade will host Team Croatia watch parties for all of the games, with food and drink specials.
From June 14th through June 28th, Shop Old Town Boutiques is hosting “Shop the Checkers” in honor of Croatia’s signature red-and-white checkerboard pattern. Participating shops will display Croatia flags, offer special deals, and give away OTBC Getter tote bags with minimum purchases while supplies last. Purchase minimums vary by store.
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529 Kids Consign | 122 South Royal Street, Suite A
Items in red, white, and blue will be on sale. Shoppers can also receive a free tote with a minimum purchase while supplies last.
Boxwood | 1205 King Street
From June 20th-21st and June 27th-28th, Boxwood is welcoming Croatian fans with florals, custom charm creations, stationery, tea towels, and postcards. A free tote will be available with a minimum purchase while supplies last.
Eliana Curated | 1003 King Street
Wear Croatia’s red, white, or blue colors to receive 10% off from June 14th-28th. Shoppers can also receive a free tote with a minimum purchase while supplies last.
Encore | 122A South Royal Street
Encore will have 10%-20% off red and white items. A free tote will be available with a minimum purchase while supplies last.
Eries Interiors | 101 South Saint Asaph Street
Eries will host special promotions, plus a sip-and-shop event. Shoppers can also receive a free tote with a minimum purchase while supplies last.
Mint Condition | 122A South Royal Street
Mint Condition will have red, white, and blue items on sale in honor of Croatia. A free tote will be available with a minimum purchase while supplies last.
Monday’s Child | 127 South Fairfax Street
On June 20th from 10AM-12PM, Monday’s Child will host soccer-themed face painting. From June 14th-28th, shoppers wearing a soccer jersey can receive 40% off one item.
Nothing in Between Studio | 1306 King Street
Nothing in Between Studio will offer a free tote with a minimum purchase while supplies last.
Patina Polished Living | 111 South Columbus Street
Patina Polished Living will offer discounts on Croatia’s game days: June 17th, June 23rd, and June 27th. Shoppers can also receive a free tote with a minimum purchase while supplies last.
Sara Campbell | 310 Prince Street
Sara Campbell will offer a free tote with a minimum purchase while supplies last.
The Spice & Tea Exchange of Alexandria | 320 King Street
The Spice & Tea Exchange of Alexandria is celebrating with a Croatian-inspired “Taste the Adriatic” feature. Visitors can also check out the shop’s checkered pantry and receive a free tote with a minimum purchase while supplies last.
Wine Gallery 108 | 108 North Saint Asaph Street
Wine Gallery 108 is hosting special Croatian wine tastings before Croatia’s matches, featuring a different selection of Croatian wines each time. It’s a chance to discover a new bottle before cheering on the team. A free tote will also be available with a minimum purchase, while supplies last.
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