Country profile
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Key facts
Capital
Sarajevo
Population
3,200,000
Confederation
UEFA
FIFA code
BIH
Overview
Bosnia & Herzegovina is a rugged, mountainous country in the heart of the Western Balkans, where minarets, church spires and Ottoman bridges share the same skyline. Its capital, Sarajevo, hosted the 1984 Winter Olympics and remains a symbol of resilience after the wars of the 1990s.
Football here is a unifying passion in a nation of complex identities, and the national team — affectionately called the Zmajevi (Dragons) — carries the hopes of a diaspora spread across Europe and beyond. Pride, defiance and a fierce attacking tradition define the Bosnian footballing soul.
Football culture
Football is woven into daily life, with passionate support for clubs like Sarajevo, Željezničar and Zrinjski Mostar fuelling intense rivalries. The national team unites communities, and matches at the Bilino Polje in Zenica are famed for their cauldron atmosphere. Many Bosnian stars emerge from the large diaspora across Germany, Austria and Scandinavia.
World Cup history
Bosnia & Herzegovina reached their first and only World Cup in 2014 in Brazil, bowing out in the group stage despite a memorable Edin Džeko-led campaign. They have since suffered painful play-off and qualifying near-misses for 2018 and 2022. A 2026 appearance marks a long-awaited return to football's biggest stage.
Location
Did you know
- Sarajevo hosted the 1984 Winter Olympics, not far from its famous old town.
- Edin Džeko is the nation's all-time top scorer and beloved captain.
- The team is nicknamed the 'Dragons' (Zmajevi).
- Bosnia's only previous World Cup was Brazil 2014.
- The country's Stari Most bridge in Mostar is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
From Wikipedia
Bosnia and Herzegovina, often referred to as Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to the north and southwest, with a 20-kilometre-long (12-mile) coast on the Adriatic Sea in the south. Bosnia has a moderate…
Source: Wikipedia →