Bosnia to face North Macedonia in World Cup warm-up friendly
The Bosnia and Herzegovina national team will play a friendly against North Macedonia on May 29th in Sarajevo as part of their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Bosnian Football Federation confirmed the fixture in a statement released on Friday. The match will be held at the Asim Ferhatović Hase Stadium, marking the start of the team's final build-up to the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
This Balkan derby will serve as a poignant reminder for Italian football fans, as both nations have recently eliminated Italy from World Cup qualification. North Macedonia famously defeated Italy in the semi-final of the European playoff for the 2022 World Cup. More recently, Bosnia and Herzegovina, led by veteran striker Edin Džeko, secured a symbolic 2-1 victory over the Azzurri in a friendly this past March, a match that concluded Italy's disappointing road to the 2026 finals.
The fixture provides valuable competitive action for Bosnia as they finalize their plans for the global tournament. Manager Sergej Barbarez will use the game to assess his squad, which blends experienced campaigners like the 38-year-old Džeko with a new generation of talent. For North Macedonia, the match offers a similar opportunity to test themselves against a fellow qualified nation, continuing their development after their own historic run to Euro 2020.
Edin Džeko, who recently concluded a season with Turkish club Fenerbahçe, remains the iconic figure and captain of the national side. His leadership and goal-scoring prowess will be central to any success Bosnia hopes to achieve in North America. The friendly allows him to maintain rhythm alongside international teammates outside of the club environment.
For both federations, organizing a match between two World Cup-bound teams is seen as superior preparation compared to facing nations not involved in the summer's premier competition. It ensures a high competitive intensity and a similar tactical challenge to what they might encounter in the group stage. The match in Sarajevo is expected to be a spirited affair, celebrating both teams' successful qualification campaigns while serving a crucial practical purpose.
