90 minutes from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Italy travels to Zenica to face Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Bilino Polje Stadion on Tuesday evening in their World Cup Qualification Playoff final. The Azzurri aim to conclude their 12-year absence from the World Cup, while Bosnia and Herzegovina seeks to build on their sole World Cup appearance in 2014.
Italy secured a 2-0 victory over Northern Ireland in Bergamo during their playoff semifinal, whereas Bosnia and Herzegovina triumphed on penalties against Wales, winning 4-2 in the shootout after a 1-1 draw in regular time.
The winner of this matchup will earn a place in the World Cup this summer, joining Group B with Canada, Qatar, and Switzerland.
Hereβs all the essential information regarding the FIFA World Cup Qualification Playoff final.
How to watch:
The match will be broadcast on Amazon Prime Video in the UK, VIX / Fox Sports in the U.S., SonyLIV in India, and Stan Sport in Australia. Live updates will also be available on ESPN.
Key Details:
Kick-off time: Tuesday, March 31 at 7:45 p.m. BST (1:45 p.m. ET; 12:15 a.m. IST, Wednesday and 5:45 a.m. AEDT, Wednesday).
Venue: Stadion Bilino Polje, Zenica
Referee: ClΓ©ment Turpin (France)
VAR: JΓ©rΓ΄me Brisard (France)
Injury and Team News:
Bosnia and Herzegovina:
Sergej Barbarez has a complete squad at his disposal.
Italy:
Federico Chiesa, F: OUT, discomfort
Gianluca Scamacca, F: OUT, muscle injury
Talking Points:
Retegui or Esposito for Italy?
play2:07Marcotti: Relief for Italy after crucial win
Gab Marcotti comments on Italy’s significant 2-0 playoff victory over Northern Ireland in World Cup qualifying.
The demand for Pio Esposito to start has intensified following his impactful performance after being substituted in against Northern Ireland, where the Internazionale forward utilized his strength and presence effectively in the second half as Italy scored twice.
Although Esposito did not score himself, he played a crucial role in creating chances for others and generating space for players like Moise Kean to excel. Gattuso faces a challenging decision in what will be the most critical match of his managerial career.
Mateo Retegui seemed somewhat out of form against Northern Ireland, but his experience in the Saudi Pro League may provide him with an edge due to his unfamiliarity to opponents. Bosnia and Herzegovina’s defenders, who compete in Serie A, have faced Esposito before, but the young striker’s presence could still pose a significant challenge.
Nevertheless, this is a favorable dilemma for Gattuso, as all his attacking options present different challenges for opposing defenses and have been consistently scoring.
Dzeko still going strong
Only one outfield player aged 40 or older has ever participated in a FIFA World Cup (the iconic Roger Milla of Cameroon). Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric are poised to join Milla this summer, and Edin Dzeko is also set to make his mark.
The seasoned striker, currently playing in Germany’s second division for Schalke, appears to have maintained his performance level as he ages. He played a pivotal role in leading his nation to this playoff final, scoring a late equalizer against Wales with a trademark header.
Dzeko, who celebrated his 40th birthday in March, also benefits from his familiarity with the strengths and weaknesses of Italy’s defenders, having spent many years in Serie A. His ability to dominate defenders in aerial duels, while also involving his strike partner, Ermedin Demirovic, could be Bosnia and Herzegovina’s best chance for an upset.
Home advantage and free motivation for Bosnia and Herzegovina
play1:34Laurens: Italy face tougher test against Bosnia and Herzegovina
Julien Laurens analyzes Bosnia and Herzegovina’s dramatic penalty victory over Wales ahead of their World Cup clash with Italy.
Alongside his key player Dzeko, Bosnia and Herzegovina coach Sergej Barbarez will heavily rely on the support of the home crowd at the Bilino Polje stadium. The choice of venue is significant, as the stadium has a history of being ‘cursed’ for visiting teamsβBosnia and Herzegovina remained unbeaten in 15 matches in Zenica from 1995 to 2006.
The atmosphere is expected to be quite hostile for Italy, who managed a narrow 1-0 victory the last time these two teams faced each other in 2024. Italy’s task was made more difficult after footage surfaced of Italian wingback Federico Dimarco celebrating Bosnia and Herzegovina’s shootout win against Wales, suggesting that Italy viewed them as a weaker opponent.
Dimarco has since clarified his reaction, stating, “[Edin] Dzeko also plays for Bosnia. I played with him for two years, and I texted him. He replied to me, and I’m happy to see him in the final. I didn’t lack respect for Bosnia or the Bosnian people. It was said I was arrogant; with what right, since we haven’t been at the World Cup since 2014? How could I be arrogant?”
Despite his explanations, Dimarco has only heightened what was already expected to be a charged atmosphere, which could work against Italy.
Gattuso’s pressure-free environment could exorcise ghosts of the past
Midfielder Sandro Tonali acknowledged that Italy was burdened by past failures against Northern Ireland, describing them as ‘monsters’ in their minds. However, it was Tonali’s goal and assist that served as the mental remedy for a team struggling to penetrate their opponents.
Gennaro Gattuso has made efforts to ensure his players are free from the weight of national expectations, despite the Italian media using images of children who have never witnessed Italy at a World Cup as motivation. The AC Milan legend has encouraged his squad to ‘enjoy it’, even as memories of defeats to Sweden and North Macedonia in previous playoffs linger in their minds.
Italy has introduced a promising generation of young talents that are driving this qualification effort forward, and Gattuso will hope they do not falter in Bosnia, or they will face a nation of 60 million people back home, knowing that four-time champions Italy will have been absent from the pinnacle of international football for 16 years.
What do the numbers say?
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Italy has lost only once in six encounters against Bosnia and Herzegovina, a 1996 friendly in Sarajevo that marked the first match between the two nations. The Azzurri have since won four and drawn one.
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Moise Kean became the first Italian to score in five consecutive matches for the national team since Toto Schillaci in the 1990 World Cup.
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Italy has netted 23 goals in qualification (2.55 goals per game), with Mateo Retegui and Moise Kean leading the scoring with five goals each. Bosnia and Herzegovina has scored 18 goals (2 goals per game), with Dzeko also leading with five goals.
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Italy’s last competitive match at the World Cup was in 2014 against Uruguay during the group stage, featuring the infamous Luis SuΓ‘rez – Giorgio Chiellini ‘biting’ incident.
