ALEXANDRIA, Va. (7News) — Alexandria, Virginia, has signed off on a new friendship city, one that came about after a country called the city home during the recent FIFA World Cup.
On Tuesday, the city passed a resolution welcoming a one-year Friendship City agreement with Osijek, Croatia. The move follows the Croatian National Football Team’s time in the city, which used Episcopal High School as their home base during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
A Friendship City agreement is a more informal agreement, but leaders in both cities could use it to pave the way for a formal Sister City agreement. For now, the relationship will be sports-focused as conversations continue and a committee will be formed to manage it, Alexandria officials said.
Alexandria city officials said Croatian Embassy leaders expressed interest in establishing a partnership with the city after the World Cup. After Sister Cities International identified Osijek, Croatia’s fourth-largest city, as a potential partner, leaders met over the summer for several conversations, according to council documents before Tuesday’s meeting.
According to Sister Cities International, Alexandria, Va. is sister cities with:
Gyumri, ArmeniaCaen, FranceHelsingborg, SwedenDundee, Scotland