Bosnia and Herzegovina’s squad is defined by a blend of last dance veteran leaders and a rapidly accelerating youth movement.
Head coach Sergej Barbarez has named a 25-man roster for the critical World Cup play-off semi-final against Wales which includes 40-year-old Edin Dzeko as well as up-and-comers Kerim Alajbegovic, Esmir Bajraktarevic and Nidal Celik.
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The headline, as it has been for nearly two decades, is Edin Dzeko. Now 40 years-old and playing for Schalke in Germany, the ex-Manchester City striker remains the focal point of Bosnia’s attack.
Despite his age, Dzeko’s form in the 2. Bundesliga, where he became the oldest goalscorer in the league’s history earlier this year, has kept him as a guaranteed starter. With Miralem Pjanic having officially retired from football in December last year, Dzeko stands as the final active member of Bosnia’s ‘golden generation’ that reached the 2014 World Cup.
Barbarez’s preferred style is physical and high-energy emphasising quick transitions.
Midfielders Benjamin Tahirovic and Armin Gigovic operate in the engine room, while Stuttgart‘s Ermedin Demirovic is the perfect foil for Dzeko, often doing the so-called dirty work to allow the captain to stay in the box.
Bosnia and Herzegovina World Cup 2026 play-offs squad: The March selectionBosnia and Herzegovina World Cup 2026 play-offs squad
- GK: Nikola Vasilj (FC St. Pauli)
- GK: Martin Zlomislić (Rijeka)
- GK: Osman Hadžikić (Slaven Belupo)
- DF: Sead Kolašinac (Atalanta)
- DF: Dennis Hadžikadunić (Sampdoria)
- DF: Amar Dedić (Benfica)
- DF: Nikola Katić (Schalke 04)
- DF: Tarik Muharemović (Sassuolo)
- DF: Nihad Mujakić (Gaziantep)
- DF: Stjepan Radeljić (Rijeka)
- DF: Nidal Čelik (Lens)
- MF: Amir Hadžiahmetović (Hull City)
- MF: Benjamin Tahirović (Brøndby)
- MF: Armin Gigović (Young Boys)
- MF: Dženis Burnić (Karlsruher SC)
- MF: Ivan Bašić (Astana)
- MF: Amar Memić (Viktoria Plzeň)
- MF: Ivan Šunjić (Pafos)
- FW: Edin Džeko (Schalke 04)
- FW: Ermedin Demirović (VfB Stuttgart)
- FW: Esmir Bajraktarević (PSV)
- FW: Samed Baždar (Jagiellonia Białystok)
- FW: Haris Tabaković (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
- FW: Kerim Alajbegović (Red Bull Salzburg)
- FW: Jovo Lukić (Universitatea Cluj)
Bosnia and Herzegovina fixtures and resultsFixtures
- March 26, 2026: Wales vs Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales
- March 31, 2026: Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Italy/Northern Ireland, Stadion Bilino Polje, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina *
- September 25, 2026: Poland vs Bosnia and Herzegovina, PGE Narodowy, Warsaw, Poland
- September 28, 2026: Romania vs Bosnia and Herzegovina, National Arena, Bucharest, Romania
- October 2, 2026: Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Sweden, Stadion Bilino Polje, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- October 5, 2026: Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Poland, Stadion Bilino Polje, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- November 14, 2026: Sweden vs Bosnia and Herzegovina, Friends Arena, Stockholm, Sweden
- November 17, 2026: Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Romania, Stadion Bilino Polje, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- *Note: The fixture on March 31 depends on the result of the semi-final against Wales. If Bosnia wins, they host the Play-off Final; if they lose, they play a friendly against the loser of the Italy vs Northern Ireland match.
Recent results
- November 18, 2025: Austria 1–1 Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ernst Happel Stadium, Vienna, Austria
- November 15, 2025: Bosnia and Herzegovina 3–1 Romania, Stadion Bilino Polje, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- October 12, 2025: Malta 1–4 Bosnia and Herzegovina, National Stadium, Ta’ Qali, Malta
- October 09, 2025: Cyprus 2–2 Bosnia and Herzegovina, AEK Arena, Larnaca, Cyprus
- September 09, 2025: Bosnia and Herzegovina 1–2 Austria, Stadion Bilino Polje, Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- September 06, 2025: San Marino 0–6 Bosnia and Herzegovina, San Marino Stadium, Serravalle, San Marino
Bosnia and Herzegovina manager: Sergej Barbarez
Sergej Barbarez (Image credit: Getty Images)
Sergej Barbarez is former captain of the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team who was appointed in April 2024, tasked with instituting a new era after a decade of decline.
Despite having zero previous senior management experience before taking the job, Barbarez led Bosnia to their most successful World Cup qualifying campaign in years.
Bosnia finished 2nd in Group H, narrowly missing out on automatic qualification to Austria.
Bosnia’s star playerEdin Dzeko
Edin Dzeko celebrates after scoring for Bosnia and Herzegovina against Germany way back in June 2010. (Image credit: Getty Images)
Edin Dzeko’s international career is the definitive story of Bosnian football in the 21st century. Since making a goal-scoring debut against Turkey in June 2007, Dzeko has gone from a promising young striker to becoming the nation’s undisputed greatest-ever player. He is the most-capped player (146 appearances) and the all-time leading goalscorer (72 goals) for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Even at 40 years-old, the Premier League winner carries a threat and is enjoying something of an Indian summer in 2. Bundesliga with Schalke.
Any physical decline has been offset by elite game intelligence and a specialised role as a pure target man. He isn’t the type of player who will outrun a defence, but as Wales head coach Craig Bellamy noted ahead of their play-off, Dzeko is a player who ‘doesn’t need too many chances to score.’
Best XI