Bosnia and Herzegovina World Cup 2026 Squad: Final 26-Player List

Bosnia and Herzegovina punched their World Cup 2026 ticket the hard way. Sergej Barbarez’s side beat Wales and Italy in back-to-back penalty shootouts during the European playoffs. The reward is a return to football’s biggest stage for the first time since 2014.

The Bosnia and Herzegovina World Cup 2026 Squad was confirmed on May 11, 2026 with captain Edin Dzeko leading a group that mixes 2014 veterans with a wave of fresh talent.

Bosnia and Herzegovina Quick Facts:

• Country: Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Confederation: UEFA
• Nickname: The Dragons (Zmajevi)
• Head Coach: Sergej Barbarez
• Captain: Edin Dzeko
• Group: Group B
• Group Opponents: Canada, Switzerland, Qatar
• First Match: June 12 vs Canada, Toronto Stadium, 3:00 PM ET
• Last Group Match: June 24 vs Qatar, Seattle Stadium, 3:00 PM ET
• FIFA Ranking: 65th (April 1, 2026)
• World Cup Appearance: Second (previous Brazil 2014)
• Kit Manufacturer: Adidas

Bosnia and Herzegovina Squad List for World Cup 2026

Goalkeepers

• Nikola Vasilj, 30, FC St. Pauli (Germany)
• Martin Zlomislic, 25, Rijeka (Croatia)
• Osman Hadzikic, 29, Slaven Belupo (Croatia)

Defenders

• Sead Kolasinac, 32, Atalanta (Italy)
• Dennis Hadzikadunic, 27, Sampdoria (Italy)
• Amar Dedic, 23, Benfica (Portugal)
• Nikola Katic, 29, Schalke 04 (Germany)
• Tarik Muharemovic, 22, Sassuolo (Italy)
• Nihad Mujakic, 26, Gaziantep (Turkey)
• Stjepan Radeljic, 26, Rijeka (Croatia)
• Nidal Celik, 23, Lens (France)

Midfielders

• Amir Hadziahmetovic, 28, Hull City (England)
• Benjamin Tahirovic, 23, Brondby (Denmark)
• Dzenis Burnic, 28, Karlsruher SC (Germany)
• Armin Gigovic, 24, Young Boys (Switzerland)
• Ivan Basic, 27, Astana (Kazakhstan)
• Esmir Bajraktarevic, 21, PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands)
• Amar Memic, 22, Viktoria Plzen (Czechia)
• Ivan Sunjic, 29, Pafos (Cyprus)
• Kerim Alajbegovic, 18, Red Bull Salzburg (Austria)
• Ermin Mahmic, 22, Slovan Liberec (Czechia)

Forwards

• Edin Dzeko (C), 40, Schalke 04 (Germany)
• Ermedin Demirovic, 28, VfB Stuttgart (Germany)
• Samed Bazdar, 22, Jagiellonia Bialystok (Poland)
• Haris Tabakovic, 31, Borussia Monchengladbach (Germany)
• Jovo Lukic, 24, Universitatea Cluj (Romania)

The age gap tells the story. Dzeko is 40 and the squad’s elder statesman. Kerim Alajbegovic is 18 and the youngest. Barbarez kept only two players from 2014: Dzeko and Sead Kolasinac.

Bosnia’s squad is a diaspora project. Eight players come from German clubs across the top three divisions. The rest are spread across Italy, the Netherlands, Austria, and Eastern Europe. The domestic league barely features.

Fixtures

Bosnia and Herzegovina play all three group stage matches across the United States and Canada. Local kick-off times are listed in both Eastern Time (ET) and Central European Summer Time (CEST) for fans in Bosnia.

Date	Match	Venue	Time (ET)	Time (CEST)
June 12	Canada vs Bosnia and Herzegovina	Toronto Stadium, Toronto	3:00 PM	9:00 PM
June 18	Switzerland vs Bosnia and Herzegovina	Los Angeles Stadium, Inglewood	3:00 PM	9:00 PM
June 24	Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Qatar	Seattle Stadium, Seattle	3:00 PM	9:00 PM

The full tournament schedule covers every group fixture.

The top two from each group advance automatically. The EIGHT best third-placed teams also reach the Round of 32. Bosnia have a realistic path through Group B given Qatar’s presence as clear underdogs.

The opener in Toronto is the toughest test. Canada bring home support and a dangerous front line. The Switzerland fixture on June 18 likely settles second place.

Manager: Sergej Barbarez

Sergej Barbarez is 54 years old. The Mostar-born coach took the Bosnia job on April 19, 2024 after signing a four-year contract with the federation.

Barbarez made his name as a striker for Hamburg, Borussia Dortmund, and Bayer Leverkusen. He captained Bosnia as a player and remains one of the country’s most-loved sporting figures.

His first qualifying campaign was Bosnia’s best World Cup push in years. The team finished second in UEFA Group H with five wins, two draws, and one loss. The runners-up spot sent them into the playoffs, where they beat Italy on penalties.

Tactically he favours a 4-2-3-1 with quick transitions. Tahirovic and Gigovic operate in the engine room. Dzeko stays high as a target man while Demirovic runs the channels.

Star Player: Edin Dzeko

Edin Dzeko is 40 years old. He plays as a striker for 2. Bundesliga club Schalke 04 after signing in January 2026. He became the oldest goalscorer in 2. Bundesliga history earlier in the season.

Dzeko holds 148 caps and 73 goals for Bosnia as of May 2026, both national records. His debut came against Turkey in June 2007. He scored the equaliser against Italy in the playoff final to force the shootout in Zenica.

The trophy cabinet runs deep. Dzeko won the Premier League twice with Manchester City and lifted the Coppa Italia with Roma. He reached the Europa League final with Inter Milan in 2023.

Miralem Pjanic retired in December 2025, leaving Dzeko as the final active member of Bosnia’s golden generation. At 40 he isn’t running past defenders anymore. What he does do is find space in the box better than almost anyone in the squad.

Key Players to Watch

Kerim Alajbegovic

Kerim Alajbegovic is 18 and the squad’s youngest player. The attacking midfielder broke into the Red Bull Salzburg first team during 2025/26 and scored against San Marino in qualifying.

Barbarez used him off the bench in both playoff matches. His technical quality and fearlessness on the ball make him a genuine wild card in North America.

Esmir Bajraktarevic

Esmir Bajraktarevic is 21 and plays as a winger for PSV Eindhoven. The American-born playmaker switched allegiance to Bosnia in 2024 after growing up in Massachusetts.

Bajraktarevic scored the winning penalty against Italy in the playoff final. His pace on the right flank gives Bosnia a dimension they haven’t had for years.

Sead Kolasinac

Sead Kolasinac is 32 and the only outfield survivor from 2014 alongside Dzeko. The left-back plays for Atalanta in Serie A after previous spells at Schalke and Arsenal.

His experience anchors a defensive line full of younger faces. Kolasinac brings physicality and aerial presence on set pieces that Barbarez leans on heavily.

Qualification Path and World Cup History

Bosnia finished second in UEFA Group H with 17 points from eight matches. The record reads five wins, two draws, and one loss. Austria pipped them on goal difference for automatic qualification.

The playoffs delivered two penalty shootout wins. Bosnia beat Wales 4-2 on penalties in Cardiff on March 26, 2026 after a 1-1 draw. Five days later in Zenica, they edged Italy 4-3 on penalties in another 1-1 draw.

This is Bosnia’s second World Cup. Their only previous trip came at Brazil 2014, where they finished third in Group F alongside Argentina, Nigeria, and Iran. The 3-1 win over Iran stands as their only World Cup victory. Bosnia’s all-time record sits at one win, no draws, and two losses.

What to Expect and Our Prediction

Barbarez sets up a 4-2-3-1 built on physical midfield work and direct service into Dzeko. The team presses high in short bursts then settles into a mid-block. Set pieces are a genuine threat.

The weakness is pace at the back. Kolasinac and the centre-back pairing can be exposed by quick forwards. Switzerland’s Breel Embolo is the obvious danger man to plan around.

Bosnia should beat Qatar. The Switzerland match decides whether they go through as group runners-up or rely on the third-place route.

The prediction is one win, one draw, and one loss. That’s likely enough to qualify as one of the EIGHT best third-placed teams and reach the Round of 32.

Bosnia and Herzegovina World Cup 2026 Squad FAQs

The Bosnia and Herzegovina World Cup 2026 Squad arrives in North America with unfinished business. Dzeko and Kolasinac chase one last knockout run. The young core, led by Bajraktarevic and Alajbegovic, is only getting started.