Bosnia and Herzegovina qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup by winning playoff matches against Wales and Italy. In the semi-final, Bosnia defeated Wales in a penalty shootout after the match ended 1-1 after extra time, with Dan James scoring for Wales and Edin Džeko equalizing for Bosnia in the 86th minute. During the shootout, Brennan Johnson missed and Neco Williams had his penalty saved by Nikola Vasilj, leading to a 4-2 loss for Wales. This victory set up a decisive final against Italy, which Bosnia also won to secure their place in the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Wales' devastating penalty shootout loss marked a missed opportunity for a second successive major tournament, after they had qualified for the 2022 World Cup, their first in 64 years. The team will host Northern Ireland in a friendly on Tuesday, described as a 'dead rubber' or 'glum' due to both teams losing their play-off semi-finals. This defeat echoed a similar heartbreak from exactly two years earlier, when Wales lost to Poland on penalties in the Euro 2024 play-off final.
Wales' injury crisis and lack of squad depth severely affected their campaign during the World Cup qualifying. Captain Ben Davies is injured with a broken ankle, potentially jeopardizing his World Cup participation, while Kieffer Moore is out with a tendon injury and Chris Mepham is a doubt for Wales. These absences underscored the team's vulnerability, with major media noting that the lack of squad depth was exposed throughout the qualifying process.
In response to these challenges, Wales have attempted to strengthen their squad through player recruitment, including approaching Tottenham defender Ashley Phillips about switching allegiance from England. Ashley Phillips has a Welsh mother and previously played for Wales at under-16 level.
The Football Association of Wales will face financial costs due to failing to qualify for the World Cup. This financial setback could affect future investments in player development and team operations, compounding the disappointment from the playoff loss.
Despite these setbacks, Craig Bellamy, the head coach of the Wales national football team, remains committed to his role. Bellamy has a four-year contract as Wales head coach, appointed in July 2024, and plans to honor it, with Euro 2028 as a key motivation.
Italy missed qualifying for their third consecutive World Cup, after beating Northern Ireland 2-0 in Bergamo with two goals in the second half. Italy faces Bosnia and Herzegovina in a difficult away match in Zenica on Tuesday, but this match is now irrelevant for World Cup qualification after Bosnia's earlier victory.
Bosnian fans accused Italy of disrespect and arrogance for celebrating Bosnia's win over Wales in a video. According to reports, 100,000 people celebrated with the team in Sarajevo in the middle of the night. Team captain Edin Džeko posted clips from the victory celebration late into the night.
Bosnia's squad composition includes Swedish-born players Benjamin Tahirović and Armin Gigović, who were both in the squad, and Armin Gigović came on as a substitute in extra time against Wales.
The Republic of Ireland also lost their play-off semi-final to the Czech Republic in a penalty shootout, with parallels to Wales' defeat.
Other World Cup qualifying results from around Europe included Denmark's fate being decided in an away playoff match against the Czech Republic after a 4-0 home win against North Macedonia. Turkey beat Romania 1-0 in Istanbul, meaning Romania's 80-year-old coach Mircea Lucescu will not lead the team in what would have been his first World Cup.
In broader World Cup hosting context, the tournament is co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Other international results included Bolivia beating Surinam 2-1 in Monterrey, Mexico, with FIFA president Gianni Infantino present to see the stadium that will host four matches in the summer's World Cup finals.