Bosnia and Herzegovina return to the FIFA World Cup for only the second time in their history, twelve years after their memorable debut in Brazil. The team that qualified for 2014 — which featured Edin Džeko and Sead Kolašinac — is now mostly a memory, but those two players remain, serving as the living link between that generation and this one.
Manager Sergej Barbarez has assembled a squad dominated by players making their World Cup debut, spread across clubs in Germany, Italy, Portugal, Croatia, Belgium, Switzerland and beyond. This is Bosnia's new generation introducing itself to the world.
Group B: Canada · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Qatar · Switzerland
Opening match: Canada vs Bosnia and Herzegovina — 12 June 2026, BMO Field, Toronto
Full Squad
| Player | Position | Club | Previous World Cups |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nikola Vasilj | Goalkeeper | St Pauli | 0 |
| Martin Zlomislic | Goalkeeper | Rijeka | 0 |
| Osman Hadzikic | Goalkeeper | Slaven Belupo | 0 |
| Sead Kolašinac | Defender | Atalanta | 1 (2014) |
| Amar Dedić | Defender | Benfica | 0 |
| Nihad Mujakić | Defender | Gaziantep | 0 |
| Nikola Katić | Defender | Schalke 04 | 0 |
| Tarik Muharemović | Defender | Sassuolo | 0 |
| Stjepan Radeljić | Defender | Rijeka | 0 |
| Dennis Hadžikadunić | Defender | Sampdoria | 0 |
| Nidal Čelik | Defender | Lens | 0 |
| Amir Hadžiahmetović | Midfielder | Hull City | 0 |
| Ivan Šunjić | Midfielder | Pafos | 0 |
| Ivan Bašić | Midfielder | Astana | 0 |
| Dženis Burnić | Midfielder | Karlsruher SC | 0 |
| Ermin Mahmić | Midfielder | Slovan Liberec | 0 |
| Benjamin Tahirović | Midfielder | Brøndby | 0 |
| Amar Memić | Midfielder | Viktoria Plzen | 0 |
| Armin Gigović | Midfielder | Young Boys | 0 |
| Kerim Alajbegović | Midfielder | RB Salzburg | 0 |
| Esmir Bajraktarević | Midfielder | PSV Eindhoven | 0 |
| Ermedin Demirović | Forward | VfB Stuttgart | 0 |
| Jovo Lukić | Forward | Universitatea Cluj | 0 |
| Samed Baždar | Forward | Jagiellonia Białystok | 0 |
| Haris Tabaković | Forward | Borussia Mönchengladbach | 0 |
| Edin Džeko | Forward | Schalke 04 | 1 (2014) |
Key Players to Watch
Edin Džeko is the most celebrated player in Bosnian football history. At 40, he is an extraordinary figure — a player who has spent his entire career at elite European clubs and who made his World Cup debut as a young, explosive striker in 2014. Now he returns as a veteran, bringing composure, experience and the clinical finishing that made him a legend at Manchester City, Roma and elsewhere.
Ermedin Demirović is the squad's most dangerous attacking threat for the future. The VfB Stuttgart forward has been in outstanding form in the Bundesliga and brings the pace, direct running and finishing ability to hurt any defence.
Esmir Bajraktarević is one of the more intriguing younger names in the group. The PSV Eindhoven player has developed steadily and could be a creative force from midfield or wide positions as the tournament progresses.
Group Stage Outlook
Group B is genuinely open. Canada are co-hosts with home support and serious Premier League talent. Switzerland are tournament-hardened and have consistently punched above their weight at recent World Cups. Qatar are the weakest team on paper but cannot be written off on a given day.
Bosnia's path is to be compact, hard to break down and clinical when opportunities arise. Džeko alone cannot carry the attacking burden, but Demirović and the wide players give Barbarez genuine threat on the counter.
Qualification for the round of 16 would represent a historic achievement — matching their 2014 group stage exit with a return to the knockout phase. The squad has the quality to make that possible.
Squad Profile
Twenty-four of the 26 players are making their first World Cup appearance. That extraordinary statistic reflects both the long wait for qualification and the generational renewal since Brazil 2014. Only Džeko and Kolašinac bridge the two tournaments.
The squad is predominantly Germany-based or Bundesliga-adjacent, with others spread across Portugal, England and Eastern Europe. That variety of club environments has produced a technically capable group with experience of competing at different levels of European football.
FAQ
Who manages Bosnia and Herzegovina at the 2026 World Cup?
Sergej Barbarez, a former Bosnian international who played in Germany during his club career.
Is this Bosnia and Herzegovina's first World Cup?
No — Bosnia made their debut at Brazil 2014. The 2026 tournament is their second-ever appearance at a FIFA World Cup.
Who are Bosnia and Herzegovina's most experienced players?
Edin Džeko and Sead Kolašinac are the only two players in the squad who appeared at the 2014 World Cup.
When do Bosnia and Herzegovina play their first game at the 2026 World Cup?
They face Canada on 12 June 2026 at BMO Field in Toronto.