Bosnia and Herzegovina have become the first nation to announce their squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with manager Sergej Barbarez naming a 25-man group that blends experience, emerging talent and a fresh uncapped face for the tournament in North America.
Veteran striker Edin Dzeko, 40, leads the squad and will carry the hopes of a nation making only their second World Cup appearance, having qualified dramatically through the playoffs with penalty shootout victories over Wales and Italy.
Dzeko sustained a shoulder injury during extra time in the playoff final against Italy and was unable to take part in the subsequent shootout. He then missed four matches for his club Schalke 04, raising concerns about his availability for the tournament. However, he came off the bench in their last two fixtures, easing fears over his fitness ahead of what is likely to be his farewell appearance on the world stage.
The 40-year-old is Bosnia’s most capped player and all-time top scorer, and is one of only two survivors from the country’s maiden World Cup appearance in 2014. Sead Kolasinac, now at Atalanta, is the other.
Barbarez moved quickly to include 21-year-old midfielder Ermin Mahmic after FIFA approved his request to switch international allegiance to Bosnia earlier in May. The Austrian-born player had previously represented Austria at Under-17 and Under-21 level and had also appeared for Bosnia’s Under-19 side before committing his senior international future to the Balkan nation.
Barbarez spoke enthusiastically about Mahmic’s qualities and long-term potential. “You cannot believe how happy and proud he is to be with us,” the manager told reporters. “He plays in the positions of eight and ten, he has depth, the profile of a player that we do not have much of. A player who will continue to develop, with the aim that Bosnia will have good players in the next 10 years.”
Eighteen-year-old winger Kerim Alajbegovic may be the youngest member of the squad, but he has already shown he possesses the skill and temperament for the highest stage. The RB Salzburg youngster came off the bench against Wales, set up Dzeko’s equaliser and then scored the winning penalty in the shootout. He repeated the feat against Italy, converting another penalty as Bosnia came through their second playoff tie on spot kicks.
Bosnia have been drawn in Group B alongside co-hosts Canada, Qatar and Switzerland. They open their World Cup campaign against Canada in Toronto on 12 June, facing a co-host nation in their first game. Before the tournament, Bosnia will play warm-up matches against North Macedonia in Sarajevo on 29 May and against Panama in St Louis before travelling to Canada.
Bosnia’s full squad:
Goalkeepers: Nikola Vasilj (St Pauli), Martin Zlomislic (Rijeka), Osman Hadzikic (Slaven Belupo)
Defenders: Sead Kolasinac (Atalanta), Amar Dedic (Benfica), Nihad Mujakic (Gaziantep), Nikola Katic (Schalke 04), Tarik Muharemovic (Sassuolo), Stjepan Radeljic (Rijeka), Dennis Hadzikadunic (Sampdoria), Nidal Celik (Lens)
Midfielders: Amir Hadziahmetovic (Hull City), Ivan Sunjic (Pafos), Ivan Basic (Astana), Dzenis Burnic (Karlsruher SC), Ermin Mahmic (Slovan Liberec), Benjamin Tahirovic (Brondby), Amar Memic (Viktoria Plzen), Armin Gigovic (Young Boys), Kerim Alajbegovic (RB Salzburg), Esmir Bajraktarevic (PSV Eindhoven)
Forwards: Ermedin Demirovic (VfB Stuttgart), Jovo Lukic (Universitatea Cluj), Samed Bazdar (Jagiellonia Bialystok), Haris Tabakovic (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Edin Dzeko (Schalke 04)
