Inside Bosnia and Herzegovina's World Cup roster 2026: Edin Dzeko brings experience to Sergej Barbarez's squad
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Inside Bosnia and Herzegovina's World Cup roster 2026: Edin Dzeko brings experience to Sergej Barbarez's squad originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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The 2026 World Cup marks just the second time that Bosnia and Herzegovina will appear on global soccer's biggest stage.
The European side defeated Italy on penalties in a playoff in March to secure one of the final six places at the tournament being staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
After exiting at the group stage back in 2014, the Golden Lilies will attempt to reach the knockout phase this year with a roster comprising promising young talent and a healthy dose of experience.
The Sporting News has all the key details on Bosnia and Herzegovina's World Cup squad below.
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Bosnia and Herzegovina World Cup roster 2026
Bosnia and Herzegovina were the first team to announce their final World Cup roster on May 11.
That date was the deadline to submit to FIFA an official preliminary list of 35-55 players, from which teams are required to name a final roster by Saturday, May 30.
Caps and stats are correct as of May 29.
PositionNo.PlayerClubAgeCapsGK12Mladen JurkasBorac Banja Luka (Premier League, Bosnia and Herzegovina)180GK1Nikola VasiljSt. Pauli (Bundesliga, Germany)3025GK22Martin ZlomislicRijeka (HNL, Croatia)272DEF5Sead KolasinacAtalanta (Serie A, Italy)3264DEF7Amar DedicBenfica (Primeira Liga, Portugal)2326DEF2Nihad MujakicPartizan (SuperLiga, Serbia)2810DEF18Nikola KaticSchalke (Bundesliga, Germany)2914DEF4Tarik MuharemovicSassuolo (Serie A, Italy)2312DEF21Stjepan RadeljicRijeka (HNL, Croatia)284DEF3Dennis HadzikadunicSampdoria (Serie B, Italy)2730DEF24Nidal CelikLens (Ligue 1, France)197MID16Amir HadziahmetovicBesiktas (Super Lig, Turkey)2934MID14Ivan SunjicPafos (First Division, Cyprus)2910MID13Ivan BasicAstana (Premier League, Kazakhstan)2415MID17Dzenis BurnicKarlsruher (Bundesliga, Germany)2718MID26Ermin MahmicSlovan Liberec (First League, Czechia)210MID6Benjamin TahirovicBrondby (Superliga, Denmark)2326MID15Amar MemicViktoria Plzen (First League, Czechia)2511MID8Armin GigovicYoung Boys (Super League, Switzerland)2418MID19Kerim AlajbegovicSalzburg (Bundesliga, Austria)188MID20Esmir BajraktarevicPSV (Eredivisie, Netherlands)2114FWD10Ermedin DemirovicStuttgart (Bundesliga, Germany)2838FWD25Jovo LukicUniversitatea Cluj (SuperLiga, Romania)271FWD9Samed BazdarReal Zaragoza (Segunda Division, Spain)2211FWD23Haris TabakovicHoffenheim (Bundesliga, Germany)3110FWD11Edin DzekoSchalke (2. Bundesliga, Germany)40148Bosnia and Herzegovina players to watch at World Cup
Edin Dzeko is their best-known and most experienced player. The former Manchester City striker, now 40 years old, helped Schalke achieve promotion back to the Bundesliga in 2026. With 73 goals in 148 international games, Dzeko is only just outside the top 10 of the highest-scoring national-team players in history.
Kerim Alajbegovic may be at the other end of his career, but the 18-year-old Salzburg winger could be Bosnia and Herzegovina's most captivating player at the tournament. Esmir Bajraktarevic, who was born in the United States and began his career at New England Revolution, is another big threat in attack.
MORE:All you need to know about Bosnia and Herzegovina's schedule at the 2026 World Cup
Who is Bosnia and Herzegovina coach at the World Cup?
Sergej Barbarez is the man in charge of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The 54-year-old from Mostar, the nation's historical capital city, has been in charge since April 2024.
Interestingly, the national-team job is the first major coaching position of his career.
Barbarez had a successful career as a player in Germany, where he moved in his late teens to sign for Hannover and escape the looming Bosnian War. He won the DFB-Ligapokal and Intertoto Cup with Hamburg, the club where he enjoyed his best spell whose advisory board he would join after retirement.
After being denied the chance to take charge of the national team in 2009, Barbarez would get his opportunity nearly 15 years later. He will now attempt to guide them to the World Cup knockout phase for the first time.
Can Bosnia and Herzegovina replace players on World Cup roster?
Once the final roster is official, participating teams at the World Cup could only make changes before the first game of the tournament, and only in the case of extraordinary circumstances.
According to the official tournament rules (page 32), "a player listed on the final list may only be replaced in the event of serious injury or illness up until 24 hours before the start of his team's first match." The exception concerns goalkeepers, who can be replaced in such circumstances at any time.
Bosnia and Herzegovina World Cup history
Bosnia and Herzegovina have only competed at the World Cup once before as an independent nation. That was back in 2014, when they when they finished third in Group F, losing to Argentina and Nigeria but defeating Iran.
- Current FIFA World Ranking: No. 65 (April 2026)
- World Cup titles: 0
- World Cup appearances (last): 1 (Brazil 2014)
- How Bosnia and Herzegovina qualified, W-L-D: UEFA Playoff winners (5-4-1), def. Italy on penalties after 1-1 draw in final
- World Cup record:
- Games: 3 GP (1W, 0D, 2L)
- Goal differential: 0 (4 GS, 4 GA)
Bosnia and Herzegovina World Cup schedule
Bosnia and Herzegovina, as a Pot 4 team, were drawn into Group B. Their competitors in the group will be co-hosts Canada, Switzerland, and Qatar.
TeamPTSGPWLDGFGAGDCanada00000000Switzerland00000000Qatar00000000Bosnia and Herzegovina00000000Group B fixtures
DateTime (ET)MatchLocationFri, Jun. 123 p.m.Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina BMO Field (Toronto, CAN)Sat, Jun. 133 p.m.Qatar vs. SwitzerlandLevi's Stadium (San Francisco, CA)Thu, Jun. 183 p.m.Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. SwitzerlandSoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA)Thu, Jun. 183 p.m.Canada vs. QatarBC Place (Vancouver, CAN)Wed, Jun. 243 p.m.Canada vs. SwitzerlandBC Place (Vancouver, CAN)Wed, Jun. 243 p.m.Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. QatarLumen Field (Seattle, WA)MORE WORLD CUP NEWS: