Nation dossier · Group B · Out in the Round of 32
Bosnia & Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Latest USA 2–0 Bosnia & Herzegovina · Round of 32
Knocked out by USA · Match 81
Title probability
0.0%
as of 2026-07-20
Overview
Bosnia & Herzegovina arrive at a World Cup for only the second time in their history, having finally navigated a treacherous qualifying campaign after the heartbreak of missing 2018 and 2022. The Dragons remain a side caught between eras: the golden generation of Pjanić and Džeko still provides the spine, while a fresh wave of talent like Ahmedhodžić, Dedić and Tahirović hints at the future.
Form has been spiky but spirited, with Bosnia capable of upsetting anyone on a good night yet liable to costly lapses. Reaching the finals is itself a triumph, but this squad genuinely believes it can compete in Group B rather than merely make up the numbers.
Capital
Sarajevo
Population
3,164,253
Confederation
UEFA
FIFA code
BIH
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 →Squad
- 126caps
Nikola Vasilj
FC St. Pauli · First-choice goalkeeper
- 120caps
Mladen Jurkas
FK Borac Banja Luka · Teenage uncapped goalkeeper
- 223caps
Martin Zlomislić
HNK Rijeka
- 212caps
Nihad Mujakić
Gaziantep F.K. · Steady young defender
- 332caps
Dennis Hadžikadunić
Sampdoria · Composed left-sided defender
- 414caps
Tarik Muharemović
Sassuolo
- 565caps
Sead Kolašinac
Atalanta · 2014 World Cup survivor
- 728caps
Amar Dedić
Benfica · Attacking right-back at Benfica
- 1817caps
Nikola Katić
FC Schalke 04
- 215caps
Stjepan Radeljić
HNK Rijeka
- 248caps
Arjan Malic
SK Sturm Graz
- 628caps
Benjamin Tahirovic
Brøndby IF · Promising deep playmaker
- 820caps
Armin Gigovic
BSC Young Boys
- 1317caps
Ivan Bašić
FC Astana
- 1411caps
Ivan Šunjić
Pafos FC
- 1513caps
Amar Memić
FC Viktoria Plzeň
- 1636caps
Amir Hadžiahmetović
Hull City A.F.C. · Tenacious ball-winner
- 1720caps
Dženis Burnić
Karlsruher SC · Versatile attacking spark
- 262caps
Ermin Mahmic
FC Slovan Liberec
- 913caps
Samed Bazdar
Jagiellonia Białystok
- 1040caps
Ermedin Demirovic
VfB Stuttgart · Strong, link-up centre-forward
- 11148caps
Edin Džeko
FC Schalke 04 · Captain, all-time top scorer
- 1910caps
Kerim Alajbegović
FC Red Bull Salzburg · Teenage forward prospect
- 2016caps
Esmir Bajraktarevic
PSV Eindhoven · US-born winger
- 2310caps
Haris Tabaković
Borussia Mönchengladbach
- 253caps
Jovo Lukić
FC Universitatea Cluj
Model
as of 2026-07-20Exp. points
4.00
Proj. finish
24.5
Seed Elo
1660
Title-probability trajectory
Champion chance across the last 14 snapshots
Matches
History
2014
Group stage
Culture
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.
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.