Bosnia and Herzegovina pulled off the biggest upset of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, defeating Italy 4-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regulation and extra time.
Italy had reached the playoff final after a 2-0 victory over Northern Ireland, and there was widespread belief that the Azzurri would easily overcome Bosnia and secure their place in the World Cup.
However, the biggest surprise was Bosnia’s resilience. Despite Italy taking the lead through Moise Kean in the 15th minute, Haris Tapakovic equalized in the 79th minute.
Undoubtedly, the turning point of the match came when Alessandro Bastoni received a red card in the final moments of the first half, forcing Italy to play with ten men. The equalizer came in the dying moments of the second half.
After the match ended in a draw after extra time, the two teams went to penalties. Bosnia scored their first three penalties, while Esposito and Cristante missed for Italy, securing Bosnia’s place at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
This means Italy will miss the World Cup finals for the third consecutive time, having failed to qualify for the 2018 Russia and 2022 Qatar tournaments.
Bosnia, qualifying for only the World Cup for the second time in their history, will join Canada, Qatar, and Switzerland in Group B of the 2026 World Cup.
