Bosnia and Herzegovina scripted one of the biggest moments in the nation's football history after securing qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32. The historic achievement also triggered an emotional reaction from Swedish legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic, whose father was born in Bosnia.
The European nation advanced to the knockout stage for the first time after finishing third in Group B, earning one of the coveted best third-placed team spots. Bosnia's qualification came following Qatar's defeat, setting up a Round of 32 clash against co-hosts the United States.
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Zlatan Ibrahimovic reacts to Bosnia's historic qualification
Although Ibrahimovic represented Sweden throughout his international career, the former striker has always spoken proudly about his Bosnian heritage through his father. Following Bosnia's qualification, the football icon admitted that the occasion deeply moved him.
"To see this happiness makes me very emotional. There's my father's roots, and just to see 70,000 singing. It makes me very happy, proud to see them advance from the group stage."
The emotional scenes reflected the significance of the achievement for Bosnia, a nation competing in just its second FIFA World Cup finals after making its tournament debut in 2014.
Bosnia script history at FIFA World Cup 2026
Ranked 62nd in the FIFA World Rankings, Bosnia entered the tournament as Europe's lowest-ranked qualified side. Despite the odds, they accumulated four points in Group B to secure a historic place in the knockout rounds.
Their qualification marks the country's first-ever appearance in the World Cup Round of 32 under the tournament's expanded 48-team format.
Bosnia will now face the United States on July 1 in Santa Clara, California, with a place in the Round of 16 at stake. The Americans had already booked their knockout berth before concluding the group stage with a defeat to Turkey.
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The milestone also places Bosnia alongside several nations enjoying breakthrough campaigns at the expanded World Cup, highlighting the increased opportunities created by FIFA's new tournament format.