Italy face historic setback by failing to qualify for the 2026 World Cup after penalty shootout loss to Bosnia

That wraps up our live blog coverage of Bosnia and Herzegovina  vs Italy in the UEFA 2026 World Cup Qualifiers. See you next time!

Bosnia and Herzegovina: O - O - O - O

Italy: X- O - X

Bosnia and Herzegovina GETS A KEY SPOT IN THE 2026 WORLD CUP 

With this setback, Italy set unwanted World Cup record by becoming the only champions to miss three tournaments in a row.

After failing to break the deadlock in extra time, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy will have to decide the winner in a penalty shootout. The winner will secure a spot in the 2026 World Cup.

Bosnia and Herzegovina continues to dominate the game. Despite Italy's substitutions, Coach Sergej Barbarez's team is controlling the offense and coming much closer to scoring the winning goal.

Amid a solid counterattack, Pio Esposito receives a solid pass , trying a shot on target. Nonetheless, Bosnia and Herzegovina's defender has intercepted the ball. 

Following a tense first extra time, the referee has announced the start of the second time, giving the players a chance to drink water and change strategies. Then, the UEFA 2026 World Cup Qualifiers clash starts.

After a great through ball from Sandro Tonali, Marco Palestra received the ball and beat his opponents. However, a Bosnia and Herzegovina defender fouled him and was shown only a yellow card, which sparked outrage among the players, who were calling for a red card.

Although Italy have regained their prominence, they are still not in control. Instead, Bosnia and Herzegovina remains a threat, with Benjamin Tahirovic and Esmir Bajraktarevic as key players. Furthermore, Edin Dzeko and Ermedin Demirovic are shining against Italy’s defense, threatening to score at any moment.

Italy have taken more control of the game in recent minutes. While they haven't quite managed to dominate, the Azzurri have shone on the counterattack, taking advantage of Spinazzola and Palestra's high energy levels. However, Tonali and Pio Esposito are struggling to control the ball.

Chasing fresh offense skills, coach Gennaro Gattuso has decided to take off Federico Dimarco, giving a chance to Leonardo Spinazzola in Italy .

Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Italy  UEFA 2026 World Cup Qualifiers First Extra -Time is under way!

While Bosnia and Herzegovina have dominated the second half, they were not able to score a second goal to secure a victory vs Italy. Moreover, Gianluigi Donnarumma have remained as the Azzurri's hero, saving the team multiple times. As no winner was decided in the full time, they have proceed to two 15-minute extra-time periods.

Bosnia and Herzegovina (1) vs Italy (1)

Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to dominate Italy. Taking advantage of his opponent’s mistakes, coach Sergej Barbarez has decided to rely on Ermedin Demirovic and Edin Dzeko as his key offensive players. As a result, Esmir Bajraktarevic is dominating the right wing, constantly sending in crosses in search of the winning goal.

After failing to make an impact in the second half, Italy have decided to make a key substitution. Coach Gattuso has decided to take Nicolo Barella off and bring on Davide Frattesi.

After dominating the entire second half, Bosnia and Herzegovina managed to score the equalizer against Italy. Following a superb cross from Dzenis Burnic, Dzeko headed the ball, and Donnarumma made a spectacular save. However, Haris Tabakovic pounced on the rebound and scored, giving his national team new hope.

After Alessandro Bastoni’s red card, Italy had to make a key change in the lineup, leaving out Mateo Retegui. With this, they decided to change their approach, defending as a main asset. In light of this, Bosnia and Herzegovina have reached to dominate with a solid offense, isolating their rivals on their own field. Edin Dzeko receives multiple balls, but he has not have solid chance to net a goal.

Given the numerous scoring opportunities they’ve created, Bosnia and Herzegovina has decided to make substitutions in search of more firepower up front. As a result, Ivan Bašić and Amar Memić are coming off, making way for Dzenis Burnic and Haris Tabakovic.

Taking advantage of the substitution window, Italy have also decided to make changes, looking to increase their impact. With that, Manuel Locatelli and Moise Kean are coming off, making way for Bryan Cristante and Pio Esposito.

Manuel Locatelli is looking to take center stage by opening up Italy’s play. Facing constant pressure from Bosnia and Herzegovina, the midfielder is picking up more balls and playing them out wide to Marco Palestra. Despite this, they are unable to make headway, as their opponents consistently cut off their advances, leaving Sandro Tonali completely isolated once again since he isn’t receiving many passes.

After intercepting a misplaced pass from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Moise Kean launched a quick counterattack, outpacing his opponents. However, he failed to finish the chance comfortably, sending the ball over the crossbar despite being one-on-one with the goalkeeper.

Bosnia and Herzegovina are putting intense pressure on Italy. As a result, they have managed to pin their opponents back in their own half, stifling their attacking opportunities. In addition, they are looking to force mistakes in the Azzurri’s defense, something the team is quite prone to.

Following Bastoni's sending-off, Italy has been forced to adopt a much more defensive approach. As a result, Bosnia and Herzegovina have stepped up their offensive efforts, taking control of the game. This has created more scoring opportunities through aerial play, where Edin Dzeko continues to shine.

Chasing a comeback, Bosnia and Herzegovina have decided to substitute Sead Kolasinac and Ivan Šunjić, giving a chance to Benjamin Tahirovic and Kerim Alajbegovic, chasing more offensive power.

Also, coach Gennaro Gattuso has decided to adjust again the lineup due to Bastoni’s red card. For that reason, Italy take off Matteo Politano, giving Marco Palestra a chance, looking for a stronger profile.

Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Italy  UEFA 2026 World Cup Qualifiers second half is underway

As expected, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy have played a closely contested match. While the Azzurri have dominated the game, as evidenced by Moise Kean’s goal, the Dragons have consistently threatened on the counterattack. In fact, Alessandro Bastoni was shown a red card after cutting off a promising attack.

Following Alessandro Bastoni's ejection, head coach Gennaro Gattuso has decided to make a lineup adjustment. In an effort to maintain defensive stability, he has decided to substitute Mateo Retegui for Federico Gatti, aiming to fill the gap left by the ejection.

After cutting with a harsh foul a promising counterattack of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the referee has decided to show a red card to Alessandro Bastoni. With this, Italy lose a key member in the defense an creative side. 

While Italy excel in their organization and maintain a strong offensive presence, they leave several gaps and struggle against the counterattack. As a result, Edin Dzeko has already had several chances, dominating the aerial game. In fact, Bosnia and Herzegovina are closer to tying the game than Italy is to scoring a second goal.

Italy's defense plays a key role in the offense. Taking advantage of the fact that Bosnia and Herzegovina's midfield drops back without applying pressure, Bastoni and Calafiori constantly push forward, finding passes to Kean or Dimarco. In doing so, they make significant inroads against their opponents, creating openings in the opposing team's solid defense.

With an eye toward possible penalty kicks, Bosnia and Herzegovina have decided to substitute Ermedin Demirovic. With this move, coach Sergej Barbarez brings on Amir Hadziahmetovic in an effort to protect their lead.

Italy remains solid at the back. After fending off pressure from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bastoni, Mancini, and Calafiori have remained solid. Moreover, they have played a key role in the attack with their through balls to Moise Kean.

Italy want to take the lead, but the absence of an extra player is noticeable. When Retegui was substituted, they lost the connection between the midfield and the attack, a fact evident in their transitions. As a result, counterattacks led by Palestra or Spinazzola fail to come to fruition, as they are cut off by Bosnia and Herzegovina’s numerical superiority.

Taking advantage of the fact that Bosnia and Herzegovina’s midfield wasn’t pressing, Alessandro Bastoni managed to thread a great pass to Mateo Retegui. Then, he controlled the ball, turned, and fired off a powerful shot. However, Nikola Vasilj made the save, thwarting the attack.

Although Sandro Tonali was the star of the show against Northern Ireland, he hasn't managed to make an impact in these opening minutes. With Bosnia and Herzegovina closing down the space, the midfielder is struggling to find openings to link up with Moise Kean.

Despite conceding a goal due to a major mistake by Nikola Vasilj, Bosnia and Herzegovina remain quite formidable on offense. Capitalizing on their strength in midfield, they are gaining ground on the counterattack, where they look to Dzeko, who has had a few scoring opportunities.

Despite Bosnia and Herzegovina closing down the space, Italy managed to break through the opposing defense. After excellent pressure from Mateo Retegui, goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj gave the ball away to Nicolo Barella, who quickly found Moise Kean. Far from feeling the pressure, the Italian finished it off with a first-time shot, scoring the first goal.

Faced with Bosnia and Herzegovina’s solid defensive strategy, Italy have had to rely on the passing vision of Federico Dimarco and Nicolò Barella to find Moise Kean up front. This has allowed them to create solid scoring opportunities and dominate their opponent. However, they have yet to find the space to finish and score their first goal.

Acknowleding the urge to clinch a victory, Italy have imposed a strong offense to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Betting on Federico Dimarco and Matteo Politano speed and passing skills, they have been chasing Moise Kean to score the first goal.

Far from just holding the defense skills, Bosnia and Herzegovina have decided to make solid offense attemps, using their counterattack skills. They have hold the nearest option to score, earning a corner kick.

Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Italy UEFA 2026 World Cup Qualifiers clash is already underway at Stadion Bilino Polje!

You can watch the playoffs clash live on FUBO here.

Italy remain clear favorites, facing immense pressure to secure a victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, coach Gennaro Gattuso has responded to Sergej Barbarez and his threat to “park the bus” if they score first. With this, he reveals the clear attacking approach they intend to maintain in order to secure their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

"I saw that Barbarez talked about 'parking the bus' if they score a goal... he's a great poker player, he's trying to destabilize us. My concern isn't their bus, but our composure to find the spaces. We have the quality to break through any blockade, as long as nervousness doesn't get the better of us... We know that their small stadium [Bilino Polje] will be immense pressure, but I've played in worse places," Gennaro Gattuso said.

Bosnia and Herzegovina have become one of the most solid national teams in UEFA. While they are not a dominant side offensively, they have managed to establish themselves as one of the most solid teams defensively. In fact, head coach Sergej Barbarez issued a warning to Italy, revealing a clear strategy.

"If we score first, I'll personally help park the bus in front of the goal. We are not ashamed to defend our history. For Italy, it's an obligation; for us, it's a lifelong dream. Bilino Polje will be a cauldron like they've never seen... For Italy, it's an obligation. For us, from our country's point of view, it's even more important. My players know what this game means to those who have suffered so much in recent decades," Sergej Barbarez said.

While Italy stand as a historic national side, they are not enjoying their best present. Not only did they fail to secure direct qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, but they could also become the first World Cup-winning nation to miss three consecutive tournaments.

After missing the 2018 and 2022 editions, Italy could record a third straight absence if they are defeated by Bosnia and Herzegovina. As it is a knockout stage, they would have no chance to overturn the result and would be eliminated. With this, coach Gennaro Gattuso’s project could be over, prompting several changes.

After defeating Northern Ireland, Italy secured a place in the UEFA World Cup Qualifiers playoffs finals. As a result, the Azzurri now face Bosnia and Herzegovina, aiming to book their spot in the anticipated tournament. they face each other in a single-leg knockout stage, meaning there must be a definitive winner. With this in mind, any result will impact the playoffs, so we analyzed the three possible scenarios.

Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Italy game is set to start at 2:45pm ET / 11:45am PT.

You can watch the UEFA 2026 World Cup Qualifiers playoffs clash live on FUBO here.

Looking to secure his spot in the 2026 World Cup, coach Sergej Barbarez has decided to keep the same lineup as in the latest game, chasing for the same defensive consistency. Moreover, Bosnia and Herzegovina will bet on Edin Džeko to chase offensive prowess, trying to bet on their aerial power.

After defeating Northern Ireland, coach Gennaro Gattuso has decided to stick with the same lineup to face Bosnia and Herzegovina, with Moise Kean and Mateo Retegui leading the attack. He has also decided to keep Alessandro Bastoni in the lineup, despite constant criticism of his inconsistent performance.

Welcome to our live blog of the match between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy in the UEFA 2026 World Cup Qualifiers clash at Stadion Bilino Polje. Stay with us for all the key information about this clash, and once the game kicks off, for minute-by-minute updates.