Bosnia beat Italy 4-1 on penalties on 31 March 2026 after a 1-1 draw to qualify for the 2026 World Cup — eliminating the four-time champions for a third consecutive tournament and sending Bosnia to their first World Cup since 2014.Source: UEFA

What happened to Italy in the 2026 World Cup qualifying play-offs?

Italy were eliminated by Bosnia and Herzegovina 4-1 on penalties (after a 1-1 draw) on 31 March 2026 — their third consecutive failure to qualify for the World Cup. Alessandro Bastoni was sent off in the 41st minute, leaving Italy a man short for the rest of the match.Source: UEFA

Who is Bosnia and Herzegovina's manager for the 2026 World Cup?

Sergej Barbarez, a former Bundesliga striker, manages Bosnia and Herzegovina for the 2026 World Cup. He built the side around defensive discipline and set-piece threat, guiding them to their dramatic penalty shootout victory over Italy in qualifying.Source: Football Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Background

Bosnia and Herzegovina beat Italy 4-1 on penalties on 31 March 2026 after a 1-1 draw to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, eliminating the four-time champions for a third consecutive tournament. Alessandro Bastoni received a red card in the 41st minute, leaving Italy a man short for the entire second half and extra time. The result ended a 12-year absence from the finals.

The Bosnian national team emerged from the dissolution of Yugoslavia in the 1990s and made their World Cup debut at Brazil 2014, where they were eliminated in the group stage despite beating Iran 3-1. The country's football structure reflects its complex post-war governance: two entities (the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska) each run separate leagues, with the national team drawing from both.

In their Group H opener on 12 June, Bosnia drew 1-1 with co-host Canada at BMO Field in Toronto. Jovo Lukic put Bosnia ahead in the first half; Cyle Larin, on as a substitute, equalised on 78 minutes from a Promise David assist to secure Canada's first-ever World Cup point. The draw confirmed manager Sergej Barbarez's side as genuine Group H contenders rather than ceremonial returners: a nation of 3.2 million that toppled Italian football now holds a point on the board at only their second World Cup.