FIFA 23: Croatia returns to the game after ten years

After a ten-year absence, the Croatian national team is back in FIFA 23.

Both the Croatian Football Association and Electronic Arts have confirmed this in corresponding tweets on Twitter.

Long absent

Croatia were last featured in FIFA 12, but the team’s absence received a little more attention after they finished runners-up at the 2018 World Cup.

In line with this year’s World Cup, in which Croatia is participating, you will be able to play with the team in FIFA 23 again.

More FIFA 23 news:

Why hasn’t Croatia been in FIFA for so long?

Croatia’s absence over the past decade is purely for financial reasons.

Our English Eurogamer colleagues had already reported on this in relation to FIFA 19.

“The reason why Croatia is not included in FIFA 19 is that the Croatian FA and EA could not reach an agreement that satisfies both sides,” said Tomislav Paca, spokesman for the Croatian FA at the time.

“Of course, we value the 2018 FIFA World Cup silver medalists and the best player in the world more than EA with its offer and we will continue to protect the value and image of the Croatian team and our players.”

According to reports from 2012, Electronic Arts offered the Croatian Football Federation 100,000 euros at the time. However, Davor Šuker, a former Croatia international and former boss of the Croatian Football Union (he was replaced last year), is said to have turned down the offer. Things have obviously changed now though.