The third match of Euro 2024 pits two titans of tournament football against each other in the Group B opener. Berlin's Olympiastadion, which will play host to the final on July 14 is the venue, as Spain and Croatia get their campaigns underway in a highly-anticipated clash.
These two sides are getting all too familiar with facing each other in high-stakes tournament football, and just last summer Spain edged Croatia on penalties to win the 2022/23 UEFA Nations League Final following a 0-0 draw in Rotterdam.
Since then, La Roja have won eight of their last 10 games, while the Kockasti have won seven from 10, unbeaten aside from back-to-back losses against Turkey and Wales in October 2023.
We're set for a clash of styles as Croatia's ultra-experienced side — who have finished as runners-up and in third place at the last two World Cups — take on a Spain side with a relatively untried mix of world-class veterans and exciting young prospects.
This game is crucial for both teams, setting each side's tone for the rest of the tournament. Group B also includes Italy and Albania, being rightly pitted as the designated 'group of death', and as the third game of Euro 2024 in Germany kicks off, The Sporting News has all your TV and streaming details covered Stateside.
What time is Spain vs. Croatia kickoff?
This Euro 2024 Group B match kicks off from the Olympiastadion on June 15 at 6:00 p.m. local time (CET) in Berlin, Germany.
Here's how that time translates across all of the time zones in North America:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| Eastern Time | Sat, June 15 | 12:00 p.m. |
| Central Time | Sat, June 15 | 11:00 a.m. |
| Mountain Time | Sat, June 15 | 10:00 a.m. |
| Pacific Time | Sat, June 15 | 9:00 a.m. |
| Alaska DT | Sat, June 15 | 8:00 a.m. |
| Hawaii DT | Sat, June 15 | 7:00 a.m. |
Spain vs. Croatia live stream, TV channel
- TV channel (US): FOX Sports Network
- Streaming (US): Fubo, FOX Sports app/website, ViX
- TV channel (Canada): TVA Sports, TSN 1, TSN 4, CTV
- Streaming (Canada): TVA+, TVA app/website, CTV app
USA: Spain vs. Croatia from the Olympiastadion will be televised in the United States on the Fox Sports Network, with Spanish-language streaming via ViX. The game is also available to stream on Fubo which is currently offering a FREE seven-day trial.
Radio coverage of the match can be followed on SiriusXM FC.
Canada: Euro 2024 matches can be seen in Canada on TSN's respective TV channel and live streaming services. TVA and CTV will also be showing the match.
If this match is not available to watch live in your location, or if you’re traveling abroad, you can use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). VPNs offer a secure and private online connection, allowing you to bypass geographical restrictions to access your favorite streaming services from any device anywhere in the world.
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Spain vs. Croatia lineups & team news
Spain will miss Gavi at these finals due to his knee injury from last year. Pedri has also struggled with fitness, but he made a goal scoring return to action for his country in the 5-1 friendly win over Northern Ireland.
La Roja's strength lies in their midfield, with Rodri, Pedri, Fabian Ruiz, and Mikel Merino all in top form. Ahead of them, Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams will provide much-needed pace in attack.
The defence has experienced players, but there are concerns about Aymeric Laporte's form after playing in Saudi Arabia. He was ruled out of this game by De La Fuente, who did not specify the reason.
Spain predicted: (4-3-3, right to left): Simon (GK) — Carvajal, Le Normand, Nacho, Grimaldo — Merino, Rodri, Pedri — Lamine Yamal, Morata, Williams.
Croatia, on the other hand, still rely on veterans like Ivan Perisic (35), Luka Modric (38), and Domagoj Vida (35). Modric, with 175 caps, remains vital to the team. Dominik Livakovic, the Fenerbahce goalkeeper, has also been crucial in past tournaments. Perisic recovered from a long-term injury to join the squad, but it is likely that Andrej Kramaric and Lovro Majer will start in the wider positions.
Josko Gvardiol and his experienced Manchester City team-mate Mateo Kovacic could make a difference against strong opposition such as this.
Croatia predicted: (4-3-3, right to left): Livakovic (GK) — Stanisic, Sutalo, Pongracic, Gvardiol — Modric, Brozovic, Kovacic — Majer, Budimir, Kramaric.
Spain vs. Croatia prediction
- Score prediction: Spain 2-1 Croatia
These two sides have met in each of the last three European Championships in a row, with Spain recording two victories either side of being beaten 2-1 by Croatia in the 2016 group stages.
Their most recent meeting came in the Round of 16 at the delayed Euro 2020 and boy, was it madness! An eight-goal thriller saw the two sides go into extra time locked at 3-3 thanks to Mario Pasalic's last-gasp equaliser, but Spain scored twice in the 100th and 103rd minutes to win it 5-3!
Given the pair's recent history in this tournament, there’s a lot of excitement surrounding this fixture. Croatia's experience in major tournaments coupled with the potential of a new-look Spain side makes a winner almost too close to call, but we reckon La Roja could fly out of the traps to just edge their noses ahead.
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