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.
| Position | No. | Player | Club | Age | Caps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK | 12 | Mladen Jurkas | Borac Banja Luka (Premier League, Bosnia and Herzegovina) | 18 | 0 |
| GK | 1 | Nikola Vasilj | St. Pauli (Bundesliga, Germany) | 30 | 25 |
| GK | 22 | Martin Zlomislic | Rijeka (HNL, Croatia) | 27 | 2 |
| DEF | 5 | Sead Kolasinac | Atalanta (Serie A, Italy) | 32 | 64 |
| DEF | 7 | Amar Dedic | Benfica (Primeira Liga, Portugal) | 23 | 26 |
| DEF | 2 | Nihad Mujakic | Partizan (SuperLiga, Serbia) | 28 | 10 |
| DEF | 18 | Nikola Katic | Schalke (Bundesliga, Germany) | 29 | 14 |
| DEF | 4 | Tarik Muharemovic | Sassuolo (Serie A, Italy) | 23 | 12 |
| DEF | 21 | Stjepan Radeljic | Rijeka (HNL, Croatia) | 28 | 4 |
| DEF | 3 | Dennis Hadzikadunic | Sampdoria (Serie B, Italy) | 27 | 30 |
| DEF | 24 | Nidal Celik | Lens (Ligue 1, France) | 19 | 7 |
| MID | 16 | Amir Hadziahmetovic | Besiktas (Super Lig, Turkey) | 29 | 34 |
| MID | 14 | Ivan Sunjic | Pafos (First Division, Cyprus) | 29 | 10 |
| MID | 13 | Ivan Basic | Astana (Premier League, Kazakhstan) | 24 | 15 |
| MID | 17 | Dzenis Burnic | Karlsruher (Bundesliga, Germany) | 27 | 18 |
| MID | 26 | Ermin Mahmic | Slovan Liberec (First League, Czechia) | 21 | 0 |
| MID | 6 | Benjamin Tahirovic | Brondby (Superliga, Denmark) | 23 | 26 |
| MID | 15 | Amar Memic | Viktoria Plzen (First League, Czechia) | 25 | 11 |
| MID | 8 | Armin Gigovic | Young Boys (Super League, Switzerland) | 24 | 18 |
| MID | 19 | Kerim Alajbegovic | Salzburg (Bundesliga, Austria) | 18 | 8 |
| MID | 20 | Esmir Bajraktarevic | PSV (Eredivisie, Netherlands) | 21 | 14 |
| FWD | 10 | Ermedin Demirovic | Stuttgart (Bundesliga, Germany) | 28 | 38 |
| FWD | 25 | Jovo Lukic | Universitatea Cluj (SuperLiga, Romania) | 27 | 1 |
| FWD | 9 | Samed Bazdar | Real Zaragoza (Segunda Division, Spain) | 22 | 11 |
| FWD | 23 | Haris Tabakovic | Hoffenheim (Bundesliga, Germany) | 31 | 10 |
| FWD | 11 | Edin Dzeko | Schalke (2. Bundesliga, Germany) | 40 | 148 |
Bosnia 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.
| Team | PTS | GP | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Switzerland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Qatar | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Group B fixtures
| Date | Time (ET) | Match | Location |
| Fri, Jun. 12 | 3 p.m. | Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina | BMO Field (Toronto, CAN) |
| Sat, Jun. 13 | 3 p.m. | Qatar vs. Switzerland | Levi’s Stadium (San Francisco, CA) |
| Thu, Jun. 18 | 3 p.m. | Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Switzerland | SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, CA) |
| Thu, Jun. 18 | 3 p.m. | Canada vs. Qatar | BC Place (Vancouver, CAN) |
| Wed, Jun. 24 | 3 p.m. | Canada vs. Switzerland | BC Place (Vancouver, CAN) |
| Wed, Jun. 24 | 3 p.m. | Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Qatar | Lumen Field (Seattle, WA) |
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