ZIMBABWE EAGLES READY TO SOAR IN THE BATTLE OF ZAMBEZI

 

The Zimbabwe Volleyball Association (ZVA) has named a 20-man squad to take on neighbours Zambia in the highly anticipated return leg of the Battle of the Zambezi, set for Lusaka from May 22-24, 2026.

The ZVA made the announcement ahead of what promises to be a fiercely contested Zam-Zim International Friendly series, with the Eagles carrying the confidence of their 2025 Harare showdown into enemy territory.

Head coach Itsanangu Abubasutu will lead the technical bench in the Zambian capital, supported by assistant coaches Gift Chirebvu and Munyaradzi Mavima, with Farai Mboto serving as team manager and Munyaradzi Chita handling welfare duties.

The squad reads as a blend of experience and youthful ambition, featuring players who have been part of Zimbabwe's growing volleyball programme. Shayne Mashininga, Tatenda Karuma and Nyaradzi R. Sibanda headline the selection alongside Godfrey Kaseke, Panashe Sangonya, and Mathew Musamanyada. 

The full squad also includes Kudakwashe Kandanda, Nigel Kadumba, Tanaka Hwara, Michael Mapfumo, Apronage Ngorima, Takudzwa Mashaka, Nigel Banda, Brian Muchena, Trymore Nyakwangwa, Kudzai Mazviro, Macklin Rangwani, Charles Chitedzi, Dean Mukusa and Keith Kapanga.

More than just regional bragging rights are at stake. The matches serve as critical preparation for the CAVB Senior Nations Championship Zone VI Qualifiers, making this series a genuine litmus test of Zimbabwe's continental ambitions.

"These matches are crucial preparation for the CAVB Senior Nations Championship Zone VI Qualifiers," the ZVA said in a statement. "We are carrying the momentum from 2025 and the hunger for the Championship. It's time to show the region what Zimbabwe is made of."

"The Zimbabwe-Zambia volleyball rivalry has intensified in recent years, with the 2025 Harare edition adding extra spice to what is fast becoming one of southern Africa's most compelling bilateral volleyball contests. The return fixture on Zambian soil is expected to draw significant interest from volleyball fans across the region.

- Kudakwashe Gahadzikwa

JANNIK SINNER VS. ANDREA

 

ITALIAN OPEN: SINNER EQUALS DJOKOVIC WITH 31ST STRAIGHT MASTERS 1000 MATCH VICTORY

 

Italy's Jannik Sinner hits a shot against his compatriot Andrea Pellegrino in a men's singles round of 16 match at the Italian Open in Rome, Italy, May 12, 2026. /VCG

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner continued his dominant run at the Italian Open on Tuesday, defeating fellow home hope Andrea Pellegrino in straight sets 6-2, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals and equal Novak Djokovic's record of 31 consecutive wins in Masters 1000 matches.

Sinner has now gone unbeaten in Masters 1000 events since retiring with cramps during a match against Tallon Griekspoor in Shanghai last October. Djokovic previously set the mark during his remarkable 2011 season.

"If you want to be a great player, you've got to play on all the surfaces and all the tournaments at your maximum," Sinner said. "It's the mind that makes the difference."

Backed by a capacity crowd at Campo Centrale in Foro Italico, with many fans dressed in Sinner's signature color orange, the top seed wasted little time asserting control. He broke his opponent's serve in the opening game and never let Pellegrino back into the contest, improving to 19-0 against Italian compatriots.

The victory also extended Sinner's overall winning streak to 26 matches. The 23-year-old has not lost since falling to Jakub Mensik in the quarterfinals of the Qatar Open on February 19.

Sinner is now chasing more history in Rome. If he lifts the Italian Open trophy this week, he will become only the second man after Djokovic to win all nine Masters 1000 tournaments.

The 24-year-old has already claimed five consecutive Masters titles, and with Carlos Alcaraz sidelined by a right wrist injury, Sinner has emerged as the clear favorite both in Rome and heading into the French Open.

"It's time to take the title away from Adriano," read one fan's sign at Foro Italico, referencing Adriano Panatta, the last Italian man to win the singles crown in the nation's capital 50 years ago.

Panatta is scheduled to present the trophy following Sunday's final.

Sinner's next challenge will come against 12th-seeded Andrey Rublev, who rallied past Georgian qualifier Nikoloz Basilashvili 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2 to book his place in the last eight.

- CGTN

LIONEL MESSI TOPS SON HEUNG MIN AS HIGHEST PAID MLS PLAYERS REVEALED

Lionel Messi tops Son Heung Min as highest paid MLS players revealed
Lionel Messi's salary has been confirmed by Major League Soccer

Getty

Lionel Messi more than doubled his salary to $25m (£18.5m) in his new contract with Inter Miami and earns more more than twice as much as the second-highest-paid player in Major League Soccer, Los Angeles FC's Son Heung Min.

Messi’s new contract includes $25m in base salary and more than $28m in guaranteed compensation, the MLS Players’ Association said in its first release of 2026 salaries. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner earns more than the payrolls of 28 of the other 29 MLS teams.

Miami's $54.6m (£40.4m) is more than $20m (£14.8m) higher than LAFC, which is second at $32.7m (£24.2m), and nearly five times as much as Philadelphia's league-low $11.7m (£8.65m). Miami's payroll is up from $46.8m (£34.6m) at the start of last season.

Total league compensation was $631m (£467m) and the average guaranteed compensation of $688,816 on 16 April was up nearly nine percent from the start of October.

Messi signed a new three-year contract through the 2028 season in October before leading Inter Miami to its first MLS title.

The Argentina captain has 59 goals in 64 regular-season games with Miami, including nine in 11 matches this season. He topped the MLS scoring charts with 29 goals last season and won his second straight MVP award.

His salary figures are for his MLS contract and include any marketing bonus and agents fees but do not account for any additional agreements with the team or its affiliates, or for any performance bonuses.

Lionel Messi tops Son Heung Min as highest paid MLS players revealed
Son Heung Min joined LAFC at the start of the season
Getty

Son is second at $10,368,750 (£7.7m) in base salary and $11.2m (£8.3m) in total compensation, the same as his figures last season. The 33-year-old winger joined LA from Tottenham last August.

Among the other highest earners in the league after former Newcastle creator Miguel Almiron ($7.9m; £5.84m) and Vancouver Whitecaps’ Thomas Muller, who earned $5.15m (£3.81m) after leaving Bayern Munich last summer.

Cincinnati centre-back Miles Robinson ($3.95m; £2.92m) was the top earner among likely inclusions in Mauricio Pochettino’s United States squad for the 2026 World Cup.

- Associated Press

VICTOR WEMBANYAMA BECOMES 3RD YOUNGEST WITH 25/15/5 IN THE PLAYOFFS

 

NBA ON PRIME CREW DISCUSS LEBRON'S FUTURE & MORE

 

NBA'S TOP 5 PLAYS OF THE NIGHT 🌃 | MAY 12

 

WORLD RUGBY WHACKS GEORGIAN

 

REPORTS are that World Rugby have thrown the book at a group of Georgian rugby personnel who were not only guilty of doping but also attempted to hide it by substituting urine samples.

Image: Pixabay

World Rugby have thrown the book at a group of Georgian rugby personnel who were not only guilty of doping but also attempted to hide it by substituting urine samples.

Former captain Merab Sharikadze has been banned for a whopping 11 years because of multiple offences, and team doctor Nutsa Shamatava for nine.

The other players suspended are: Giorgi Chkoidze (six years), Lasha Khmaladze (three years), Miriani Modebadze (three years), Otar Lashkhi (three years), and Lasha Lomidze (nine months)

World Rugby said their investigation of the Georgia senior men’s team began before the World Cup in 2023.

A parallel investigation between World Rugby and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was triggered when irregularities in urine samples were identified by World Rugby’s athlete passport management programme, covering an extended period of time before the 2023 World Cup in France.

World Rugby alerted WADA immediately, and the two bodies worked closely together throughout extensive investigations, which featured targeted player testing and DNA analysis by World Rugby, including on historical samples held via World Rugby’s long-term storage programme.

World Rugby believed that the urine sample substitutions were conducted to conceal the use of performance-enhancing substances, while the players asserted that the sample substitutions aimed to conceal the use of non-performance-enhancing substances (namely, cannabis and tramadol).

World Rugby has charged the Georgia Rugby Union with misconduct. The Union accepted a financial penalty against them, and have agreed to adopt anti-doping education to try and avoid repeat offences.

World Rugby Chief Executive Alan Gilpin said: “This case demonstrates the importance of operating a robust, science-led anti-doping programme with coordinated biological profile analysis, testing and long-term storage functions. Our extensive four-year investigation has helped identify subversion of the doping control process and sends a clear message that World Rugby takes all anti-doping matters extremely seriously.”

The scandal comes at an unfortunate time for Georgian rugby — they host this year’s Junior World Championship, which takes place from 27 June to 18 July.

The Junior Springboks are the defending champions.

- Mike Greenaway

RENOWNED TRAINER PREDICTS DAVID BENAVIDEZ COULD DETHRONE OLEKSANDR USYK IN FUTURE SHOWDOWN

Respected boxing trainer Robert Garcia believes David Benavidez could eventually defeat Oleksandr Usyk if the two fighters meet in the coming years.

Benavidez has continued receiving major praise following his successful move up to cruiserweight, where he defeated Gilberto Ramirez to capture WBA and WBO world titles on May 2 at T-Mobile Arena and strengthen his reputation as one of boxing’s elite fighters.

The victory has already sparked discussions about how far Benavidez could go in higher weight divisions, including the possibility of eventually moving up to heavyweight.

Garcia pointed specifically toward Usyk’s age as one of the major reasons he believes the matchup could eventually favor Benavidez.

“Usyk is nearly 40 already,” Garcia explained.

“So imagine two years from now, Benavidez beats him.”

Benavidez’s recent performances have significantly increased conversations surrounding his long-term future in heavier divisions.

Still unbeaten, the American star has already established himself across multiple weight classes. He became the first boxer to hold major titles at 168, 175, and 200 pounds.

What’s next for Benavidez and Usyk?

Agit Kabayel remains Usyk’s mandatory challenger, with the undefeated heavyweight reportedly expected to receive a world title opportunity later this year.

Before retirement, Usyk has already outlined a potential three-fight plan that includes a showdown against Rico Verhoeven on May 23 at the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, followed by a mandatory defense against Kabayel and a possible trilogy fight against Tyson Fury.

Recently, Fury responded to Oleksandr Usyk’s calls for a trilogy fight and admitted that he is interested in running it back for a third time. However, Fury also stated that his main focus right now is his reportedly signed showdown against Anthony Joshua later this year.

As for Benavidez, the unbeaten American appears more focused on other major opportunities in the near future. The cruiserweight champion has shown a strong interest in moving back down to 175 pounds for a potential clash against Dmitry Bivol or a catchweight bout. Benavidez has also continued expressing interest in long-discussed fights against Canelo Alvarez and Jai Opetaia.

A fight between Benavidez and Usyk remains purely hypothetical for now, but Turki Alalshikh seems interested in making this fight a reality, as he expressed on his X account, his desire to see them go head-to-head in the ring.

Meanwhile, Garcia’s comments add to the growing speculation surrounding how Benavidez’s career could evolve over the next few years.

- Ryan Fletcher

RAFAEL JADOR VS. LEARNER TIEN | ROME 2026

 

COCO GAUFF VS. MIRRA ANDREEVA | WTA | QUARTER-FINALS | ROME 2026

 

NBA'S TOP 10 PLAYS OF THE NIGHT 🌃 | MAY 11

 

OKC VS. LAKERS | GAME 4 | FINAL 2 MINUTES 🔥

 

SOURS VS. TIMBERWOLVES | GAME 5 | 4TH QUARTER HIGHLIGHTS

 

ROME 2026 | DAY 7

 

ETHIOPIAN RUNNER BIRGUL MELESE HAS PASSED AWAY

 

Ethiopian runner Birgul Melese 🇪🇹 is Dead. She died while in training. Our condolences to the family and friends during this difficult period.

NAOMI OSAKA VS. IGA SWIATEK | ROME 2026

 

LORENZO MUSETTI VS. CASPER RUUD | ROME 2026

 

F1 OVERTAKES: 2025 VS. 2026 | F1 STATS

 

MONACO GRAND PRIX | 1979 | THE START OF A LEGEND

 

Monaco, 1979 🏁 The streets of Monte Carlo come alive as the field charges into Sainte Devote at the start of one of Formula 1’s most iconic races. Tight barriers, fearless drivers, and zero margin for error—this was street racing in its purest form 🇲🇨🔥

Before modern technology and massive run-off areas, Monaco demanded absolute precision from every driver. One mistake could end a race instantly—making every opening lap a breathtaking display of bravery and control 🏎️⏱️

#MonacoGP #MonacoGrandPrix #F1History #ClassicF1 #Formula1 #Motorsport #VintageF1 #OldSchoolRacing #GrandPrixRacing #F1Legends #MotorsportHistory #RacingHeritage #StreetCircuit #MonteCarlo #FormulaOne

- Get Spéed

ZAK BROWN HINTS MCLAREN COULD UNLEASH IT'S OWN 'MACARENA' WING

 

©McLaren

McLaren may be preparing to join Formula 1’s latest aerodynamic arms race after Zak Brown dropped a strong hint that the Woking squad is seriously evaluating its own version of the now-infamous “Macarena” rotating rear wing.

What began as a curious Ferrari experiment earlier this season is rapidly becoming one of the paddock’s hottest technical trends – and now McLaren appears to be circling the innovative concept.

After briefly trialing the idea in pre-season testing, the Scuderia gave the rotating element a more complete outing in Miami. Red Bull then arrived in Florida armed with its own interpretation as part of a major RB22 upgrade package.

The result? A clear performance leap, although it’s unclear how much of that improvement was to the novel rear wing.

Max Verstappen returned to the sharp end with a front-row qualifying performance, while McLaren itself enjoyed its strongest weekend of the season as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri secured a double podium finish.

And Brown openly admitted the reigning constructors’ champions have been paying close attention.

“We have. As you can imagine, all the teams look at what each other do,” Brown told Sky F1. “It’s clever and we think it could be beneficial, so not surprised to see another team using it.”

That comment alone has ignited speculation that McLaren engineers are already deep into studying how to integrate a similar concept onto the MCL40.

A consolidating field

The intrigue surrounding the rotating rear wing is only adding fuel to an increasingly intense development battle at the front of the grid.

After a shaky opening to the season, McLaren and Red Bull both made visible gains in Miami, tightening the fight with Mercedes and Ferrari as Formula 1 edges toward another ultra-competitive era.

Brown believes the field compression has already begun.

“They’ve been quick all weekend, so they’ve got some great development on the car,” he said of Red Bull.

“Obviously [there’s] the Ferrari and then the Mercedes, so you have your top four. If you look at the lap times now compared to Australia, the whole field is starting to get consolidated.

“So I think 0in not too short order, we’ll be back to where we were with a very competitive, tight grid.”

And if McLaren does unleash its own “Macarena” wing in the coming races, Formula 1’s aerodynamic chess match may become even more fascinating.

- Michael Delaney

ALAIN PROST | FERRARI 641 | 1990 F1 SEASON

 

Alain Prost and the Ferrari 641 became one of the defining combinations of the 1990 Formula 1 season 🏎️🔥

Known for his smooth driving style, intelligence, and consistency, Prost pushed Ferrari back into championship contention during one of the sport’s most competitive eras. The Ferrari 641 itself is still remembered today as one of the most beautiful and technically respected Formula 1 cars ever created. 🇫🇷🔴

Moments like this perfectly capture the atmosphere of early 1990s Formula 1 — raw speed, screaming V12 engines, and sparks flying under the lights as drivers pushed their machines to the absolute limit. A true golden era of motorsport history. 📸✨

#AlainProst #Ferrari641 #Ferrari #Formula1 #F1History #ClassicF1 #Motorsport #VintageF1 #FormulaOne #RacingLegend #HistoricRacing #MotorsportPhotography #GoldenEraF1 #ScuderiaFerrari #F1Classic

- Get Spéed

ADAC RAVENOL 24H NÜRBURGRING | SCHEDULE

 

ALPINE MAY GET A NEW NAME IN 2027 DUE TO A MEGA DEAL WITH GUCCI

This photo is made by AI and GPblog

The Alpine Formula 1 team will likely get a new name starting from the 2027 season. GPblog understands that luxury brand Gucci is the intended new title sponsor of the French team. The new name would then be Gucci Alpine Formula One Team.

BWT Alpine Formula One Team is currently the official and full name of the team of Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto. BWT is expected to end its title sponsorship of the French outfit after the current season, which opens the door for a new naming partner.

That partner appears to be Gucci, part of the luxury group Kering. Since mid-last year, Luca de Meo has been the CEO of Kering. De Meo was for many years the CEO of Renault and a driving force behind the Formula 1 team, so the connection is quickly made.

Gucci is one of the largest luxury brands in the world. With the naming sponsorship of Alpine, the company would enter the world of glitz and glamour, perfectly matching the image Gucci aims to project. Reportedly, Gucci wants to leverage Formula 1—especially in the United States and Europe—to capitalize on the increasingly likely partnership with Alpine for further growth.

It is unknown how much Gucci is willing to spend for Alpine’s title sponsorship. In any case, such a major sponsorship would bring the French team tens of millions.

Alpine’s response to a possible deal with Gucci

GPblog asked Alpine about the collaboration with Gucci. The team responded with the following statement: "Alpine Formula One Team is constantly looking for new partnership opportunities and in contact with a wide range of brands and companies as potential partners. The discussions are however always kept confidential and they are disclosed only when confirmed and agreed by all parties."

Colapinto wows Buenos Aires crowd

Meanwhile, Colapinto says Argentina "deserves to have a race again" after the Alpine driver completed a show run on the streets of Buenos Aires in front of over half a million people.

The 22-year-old, himself from the Buenos Aires city of Pilar, performed his show run around a 2km course in the Palermo neighbourhood, near the capital's Monumento de Los Españoles, in a 2012 Lotus E20. The car was donning the pink and blue livery Alpine have had since its rebranding from Renault in 2021.

- Ludo van Denderen

GIRO D'ITALIA STAGE 4 PREVIEW

 

STUNNING PHOTO FINISH! | MEN'S GIRO D'ITALIA 2026 | STAGE 3 HIGHLIGHTS

 

READING FC ACADEMY STAR MICHAEL OLISE WINS NATIONAL AWARD

Bayern's Michael Olise, right, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the Champions League semifinal first leg soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich in Paris (Image: AP)

Reading FC academy graduate Michael Olise wins an award following his impressive spell with Bayern Munich this season.

The 24-year-old continues to win awards and impress since his departure from Berkshire in 2021.

Michael won the EFL Young Player of the Year with the Royals in 2021 before moving to Crystal Palace in the Premier League for £8m - his time at Crystal Palace was so impressive that he was picked up by German giants Bayern Munich for around £50 million in 2024.

The young French younger has won back to back league titles with Bayern Munich and the German Super Cup whilst producing 66 goal contributions in the Bundesliga alone.

Michael was also the top assister in the Bundesliga last season, won the Rookie of the Season and is set to continue to break records.

Michael Olise with partner

Now Michael has been recognised for his time in Germany by winning the Best Frenchman Abroad during the annual Union Nationale des Footballeurs Professionnels (UNFP) trophy ceremony.

The UNFP trophies are given to players playing in France's Ligue 1, Ligue 2, and Division 1 Féminine, as well as to managers and referees. The most prestigious award is the Ligue 1 Player of the Year - which this year was picked up by Ballon D'Or winner Ousmane Dembele.

- Ramy Abou-Setta

LATE CRAZY DRAMA! | ROCHDALE VS. BOREHAM WOOD | NATIONAL LEAGUE PLAY-OFF

 

OTTO ADDO JOINS NINE OTHERS IN FIFA TECHNICAL STUDY GROUP FOR 2026 WORLD CUP

Our former coach Otto Addo has been selected as a member of the Technical Study Group (TSG) for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

The former Borussia Dortmund forward, who is on record as having qualified Ghana for two consecutive World Cup tournaments, will work under the guidance of Chief of Global Football Development Arsène Wenger during this summer’s World Cup.

Led by Pascal Zuberbühler, the Technical Study Group will feature Otto Addo, Tobin Heath, Jürgen Klinsmann, Jayne Ludlow, Michael O’Neill, Gilberto Silva, Jon Dahl Tomasson, Paulo Wanchope, Aron Winter, and Pablo Zabaleta. The team of experts will provide deeper insights into all 104 FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches.

For the first time in FIFA World Cup™ history, fans will also get real-time insights from the group.

FIFA has unveiled the TSG for the FIFA World Cup 2026™, which will provide cutting-edge analysis of all matches at the competition while increasing and developing the understanding of the game across the world.

During the tournament, FIFA will share the most advanced metrics and performance data in FIFA World Cup™ history with the worldwide TV and online audience, as well as with the participating teams and their players. Developed by FIFA’s FPI team and Mr. Wenger, the Enhanced Football Intelligence service will offer new and exciting insights to enrich the coverage and analysis of every game through a unique set of in-match and post-match visuals presented as augmented reality and traditional graphics.

“The Technical Study Group helps identify trends in the game, prepare future generations for football’s development and contribute to making the sport more exciting by highlighting the qualities players will need in the future,” said Mr. Wenger.

“With an unprecedented level of high-quality data, the TSG will be able to describe, analyse and interpret what is happening on the pitch in a way that inspires both technical experts and football fans. We are not only collecting more data than before but also trying to strike the right balance between technical expertise and data. At the same time, we want to share our technical observations in real time during the tournament.”

The TSG will analyse all 104 matches at this year’s FIFA World Cup from a unique tactical position at the stadium or from their dedicated performance suite in Miami. They will have access to six video angles and thousands of data points live during each match. The players crowned in the tournament awards will also be selected by TSG members.

The home of the TSG is the FIFA Training Centre, an innovative platform available to players and coaches across the world. In a first for the FIFA World Cup, fans will also be able to get real-time insights from the TSG through the FIFA Training Centre social media accounts and YouTube channel.

GFA COMMUNICATIONS via fifa

BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA ANNOUNCE SQUAD FOR FIFA WORLD CUP

 

Getty

Bosnia and Herzegovina is the first country to announce its full 26-player squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It’s the second time the country has qualified for the FIFA World Cup. The team finished in third place during their first group stage appearance in 2014.

Head coach and former player Sergej Barbarez announced the full squad earlier today. Star player Edin Džeko is the biggest name in the selection. The 40-year-old top scorer (73 goals) and leader in caps (148) for the country is, alongside Sead Kolasinac, one of the only two players who were part of the squad in 2014 during their first FIFA World Cup.

Full Squad Bosnia And Herzegovina For The 2026 FIFA World Cup

Goalkeepers: Nikola Vasilj (FC St. Pauli), Martin Zlomislić (HNK Rijeka), Osman Hadžikić (Slaven Belupo)

Defenders: Sead Kolašinac (Atalanta BC), Amar Dedić (SL Benfica), Nihad Mujakić (Gaziantep FK), Nikola Katić (Schalke 04), Tarik Muharemović (US Sassuolo), Stjepan Radeljić (HNK Rijeka), Dennis Hadžikadunić (UC Sampdoria), Nidal Čelik (Lens)

Midfielders: Amir Hadžiahmetović (Hull City), Ivan Šunjić (Pafos FC), Ivan Bašić (FC Astana), Dženis Burnić (Karlsruher SC), Ermin Mahmić (FC Slovan Liberec), Benjamin Tahirović (Bröndby IF), Amar Memić (FC Viktoria Plzen), Armin Gigović (BSC Young Boys)

Forwards: Kerim Alajbegović (RB Salzburg), Esmir Bajraktarević (PSV Eindhoven), Ermedin Demirović (VfB Stuttgart), Jovo Lukić (FC Universitatea Cluj), Samed Baždar (Jagiellonia Białystok), Haris Tabaković (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Edin Džeko (Schalke 04)

Qualification For The 2026 FIFA World Cup

To qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Bosnia and Herzegovina had to take on Austria, Romania, Cyprus, and San Marino. They ended up in second place, two points behind Austria, which directly qualified for the World Cup. Bosnia and Herzegovina had to go through the playoff mini-tournament. In the semi-finals, they played away from home in Cardiff against Wales. Top scorer Edin Džeko scored the equalizing goal right before the end of the game. After extra time, both teams were still level. Bosnia and Herzegovina ended up winning 4-2 on penalty kicks.

This win put Bosnia and Herzegovina in the final for the World Cup ticket against four-time winners Italy. The Italians took an early lead after a beautiful goal from Moise Kean. The momentum of the game shifted after Alessandro Bastoni received a red card for bringing down a player through on goal. Bosnia and Herzegovina pressured the Italian defense and finally found an opening with only ten more minutes to go. Haris Tabaković scored the equalizer, and the match went into extra time. No more goals were scored, so Bosnia and Herzegovina again went to penalty kicks. Esmir Bajraktarević scored the fourth and deciding penalty kick for the Bosnians after the Italians already missed twice. The 21-year-old talent from PSV Eindhoven secured the 2026 FIFA World Cup ticket for ‘The Dragons’

2026 FIFA World Cup

Bosnia and Herzegovina landed in Group B. The Bosnians open their World Cup on June 12 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where they will take on hosts Canada. Six days later, they will travel to Inglewood, California, where the Swiss team is the opponent. Bosnia and Herzegovina’s final group stage match-up will be on June 24. The 2022 World Cup host Qatar is the final opponent in the group stage. The two group winners and the eight best third-placed teams from each group will advance to the next stage.

Bosnia and Herzegovina Schedule

• June 12 – Canada (3 pm EST)

• June 18 – Switzerland (3 pm EST)

• June 24 – Qatar (3 pm EST)

- Marcel Dorff