BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA ANNOUNCE SQUAD FOR FIFA WORLD CUP

 

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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

ITALY'S WORLD CUP NIGHTMARE DEEPENS WITH SHOOT-OUT DEFEAT WITH BOSNIA

Italy will miss a third straight World Cup after losing to Bosnia and Herzegovina in a qualification play-off final on Tuesday, falling 4-1 in a penalty shoot-out. Esmir Bajraktarevic scored the decisive spot-kick in Zenica, sending Bosnia into Group B and extending Italy’s qualifying misery.

Bosnia reached their second World Cup finals, and first since 2014, in front of a passionate crowd which invaded the pitch after a historic victory © Elvis BARUKCIC, AFP

Italy will miss out on a third straight World Cup after falling to Bosnia and Hercegovina in Tuesday's breathless qualification play-off final, the Azzurri blowing their chance to reach this summer's tournament in North America with a 4-1 penalty shoot-out defeat.

Esmir Bajraktarevic shot the winning spot-kick in Zenica where the Bosnians booked a place in Group B and matches against co-hosts Canada, Switzerland and Qatar, and plunged Italy into a new nightmare.

Four-time world champions, Italy took the lead through Moise Kean in the 15th minute but then folded under the weight of expectation at the Bilino Polje Stadium after having to play most of the match with 10 men.

Italy were already firmly on the back foot when Alessandro Bastoni was sent off for chopping down Amar Memic four minutes before half-time, and Haris Tabakovic poked home Bosnia's deserved leveller in the 79th minute to take the match to extra time.

And the horror show continued in the subsequent shoot-out, with Pio Esposito smashing Italy's first penalty over the goal, and when Bryan Cristante hit the bar and Bajraktarevic squeezed his effort under Gianluigi Donnarumma, the game was up.

"I don't think the boys deserved to suffer such a blow, for the performance, the effort and the heart that they showed tonight... I'm proud of the boys," said a visibly shaken Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso.

"It's difficult to digest."

Gattuso added that talking about his future "wasn't important" but Gabriele Gravina, the head of the Italian Football Federation, later told reporters he had asked Gattuso to stay on as coach and he would not being resigning from his position.

Italy are the first World Cup winners to miss three consecutive editions of the tournament, and it was also a third straight elimination in the play-offs after Sweden in 2018 and North Macedonia four years ago.

Bosnia meanwhile reached their second World Cup finals, and first since 2014, in front of a passionate crowd which invaded the pitch after a historic victory.

"They're guys with character. We have guys we're proud of," said Bosnia coach Sergej Barbarez.

"I've told them that we have to go to a tournament every two years."

Some Italy players were filmed celebrating when Bosnia won their semi-final -- again on penalties -- against Wales, behaviour which looked even more foolish after the way Bosnia tore into their opponents.

Sorry Italy 

Italy looked nervy in the opening exchanges but were given a helping hand in opening the scoring by Bosnia goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj, who under pressure from Mateo Retegui passed the ball straight to Nicolo Barella.

The Inter Milan midfielder offloaded to Kean who confidently curled home his eighth goal in six international appearances from the edge of the penalty area.

Bosnia reacted well to going behind, continuing to harry Italy and force mistakes on a bobbly pitch, and Ermedin Demirovic glanced a header inches wide in the 38th minute.

And the already rowdy home fans smelled blood when Bastoni was given his marching orders for his horrendous challenge, the Inter defender arriving late on Memic and giving referee Clement Turpin no choice but to show him a straight red card.

A man down and with a slender lead to protect, Gattuso brought on Juventus centre-back Federico Gatti for Retegui and set his team up to soak up the waves of Bosnia pressure which came after the break.

Donnarumma had to be alert to punch away Kerim Alajbegovic's powerful drive in the 52nd minute, but Kean wasted a golden chance to double Italy's lead on the hour mark when he pounced on Memic's sloppy pass and charged towards goal only to smash his shot over the bar.

And after Esposito and Dimarco failed to make the most of presentable shooting opportunities, substitute Tabakovic sparked wild celebrations after Edin Dzeko's header was clawed off the line by Donnarumma.

Another superb Donnarumma save from Demirovic's header kept Italy level and extra time was equally tense, with the Italians furious that Tarik Muharemovic was not sent off for taking out Marco Palestra as the Cagliari defender burst towards goal.

But that won't be much of an excuse after another sorry effort to reach the World Cup ended in dismal fashion in the shoot-out.']

- FRANCE 24 with AFP