World Cup Play-off Final: Bosnia-Herzegovina vs Italy – Probable Line-ups
Quick summary
Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso is expected to keep the same XI that defeated Northern Ireland 2-0 in the semi-final, starting Moise Kean and Mateo Retegui against Bosnia-Herzegovina in the World Cup play-off final at Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceItaly coach Gennaro Gattuso is not expected to change the XI that beat Northern Ireland in the World Cup play-off semi-final last week, starting Moise Kean and Mateo Retegui in the Final against Edin Dzeko’s Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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It kicks off at 20:45 CET (19:45 BST) at the Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica, which will have a reduced capacity due to disciplinary reasons.
It’s the World Cup play-off Final, and the Azzurri aim to qualify for the competition for the first time in 12 years.
Gattuso’s men beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in the semis last week with goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean. Tonight, the coach is not expected to change the XI that emerged victorious in Bergamo five days ago.
As reported by Sky Sport , Bosnia and Herzegovina will rely on their captain and ex-Italy star Dzeko, as well as defenders Tarik Muharemovic of Sassuolo and Sead Kolasinac of Atalanta.
The winner will qualify for the World Cup and end up in Group B alongside Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.
BERGAMO, ITALY – MARCH 26: Moise Kean of Italy celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-offs match between Italy and Northern Ireland at Stadio di Bergamo on March 26, 2026 in Bergamo, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Italy – where to watch on TV The match will be broadcast on Amazon Prime PPV in the UK and Ireland and on VIX and Fox Sports in the USA. As usual, Football Italia will provide live updates via a live blog.
CARDIFF, WALES – MARCH 26: Edin Dzeko of Bosnia and Herzegovina celebrates scoring his team’s first goal with teammate Kerim Alajbegovic during the FIFA World Cup 2026 European Qualifiers KO play-off match between Wales and Bosnia and Herzegovina at Cardiff City Stadium on March 26, 2026 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images) Bosnia-Herzegovina vs. Italy – probable line-ups Bosnia and Herzegovina (4-4-2): Vasilj; Dedic, Katic, Muharemovic, Kolasinac; Memic, Sunjic, Tahirovic, Alajbegovic; Demirovic, Dzeko.
Italy (3-5-2): Donnarumma; Mancini, Bastoni, Calafiori; Politano, Barella, Locatelli, Tonali, Dimarco; Kean, Retegui.
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What happened
Italy faces Bosnia-Herzegovina in the World Cup play-off final at Bilino Polje Stadium in Zenica, with kick-off at 20:45 CET. Coach Gennaro Gattuso is likely to maintain the lineup that secured a 2-0 victory over Northern Ireland in the semi-final, with Moise Kean and Mateo Retegui leading the attack. The stadium will operate at reduced capacity due to disciplinary reasons. Italy aims to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in 12 years, with Sandro Tonali and Kean having scored in the semi-final.
Chance analysis
This fixture represents Italy's crucial pathway to World Cup qualification after a 12-year absence. Gattuso's tactical continuity by maintaining the semi-final XI suggests confidence in the current system's effectiveness. Bosnia-Herzegovina, led by veteran Edin Dzeko, will be a formidable opponent, and Italy's attacking pairing of Kean and Retegui must perform to secure passage to the tournament.
Italy has a high probability of World Cup qualification if they maintain their recent attacking form, though Bosnia-Herzegovina's experience and home environment create uncertainty in match outcome predictions.
Italy's tactical consistency and recent 2-0 form against Northern Ireland indicate strong momentum, but Bosnia-Herzegovina's quality and home advantage (despite reduced capacity) present a meaningful challenge to World Cup qualification predictions.