Orlando will not get any World Cup games this time around, but the city will play host to two major friendlies on the “Road to 26” series as Croatia faces off against Colombia on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and then takes on Brazil on Tuesday at 8 p.m.
Both matches will be at Camping World Stadium as the teams prepare for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup this summer across the United States, Canada and Mexico. Orlando was one of the host cities in 1994, the last time the World Cup was on this continent, but this time the closest World Cup sites are Miami and Atlanta.
Croatia and Colombia have never faced each other before, so it will be an intriguing matchup between two sides that have established themselves as serious contenders in recent years. Orlando City’s Marco Pasalic has been called up for Croatia, where he is likely to go up against Colombian superstar James Rodriguez of Minnesota United.
Brazil holds an all-time record of 3-1-1 against Croatia, including victories in both the 2006 and 2014 World Cup group stages. Croatia beat Brazil in the 2022 World Cup, and it was one of the most memorable matches of the tournament.
Colombia finished third in CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying, level on points with Brazil. They are unbeaten in nine matches and have some serious attacking talent, like Bayern Munich’s Luis Diaz and Sporting CP’s Luis Suarez. Goalkeeper Camilo Vargas led the backline in 2025 and is likely to resume those duties in Orlando.
The Brazilians have been one of the best in the world under head coach Carlo Ancelotti, and they hope to continue building momentum in this international window. Neymar missed out on making his national team return, but Vinicius Jr., Endrick, Raphinha and Matheus Cunha, among others, leave Brazil with a wealth of attacking options. They are also led in defense by center-back Marquinhos from PSG, as well as Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhaes.
But Croatia has plenty of strong, if underrated, attacking options alongside Pasalic, including Osasuna forward Ante Budimir. Budimir is the joint third-highest goalscorer in Spain’s La Liga this season and has been a stalwart at the club level. His partnership with Pasalic and the rest of the attacking line will pose a threat to both Colombia and Brazil. FC Dallas striker Petar Musa and AC Milan’s Luka Modric are other key players for Croatia.