Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Italy official line-ups: 2026 World Cup play-off
Italy stick with Mateo Retegui, Moise Kean and Sandro Tonali for the World Cup play-off final against Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Edin Dzeko and Ermedin Demirovic.
It kicks off at the Stadion Bilino Polje in Zenica at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT, 20.45 CEST).
You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the Liveblog.
The winner will be decided after 90 minutes, or through extra time and even a penalty shoot-out if needed.
Whoever goes through will be placed in World Cup group B with Canada, Switzerland and Qatar.
Italy beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in the semi-final with goals from Tonali and Kean, so despite the possibility of Francesco Pio Esposito and Marco Palestra coming in, Gennaro Gattuso has decided to stick with the same starting XI.
That means Retegui alongside Kean in a 3-5-2 formation, with Manuel Locatelli pulling the midfield strings, and Matteo Politano out wide on the right.
Bosnia and Herzegovina needed a late Dzeko equaliser in Cardiff to force extra time on Thursday evening, eventually winning a penalty shoot-out.
The player who came off the bench and transformed that match was 18-year-old sensation Kerim Alajbegovic, but despite reports to the contrary, he does not replace Esmir Bajraktarevic.
On the other side of the age spectrum is former Roma, Inter and Fiorentina striker Dzeko, who is still spearheading the attack at age 40, partnered by Ermedin Demirovic.
Familiar faces include Atalanta defender Sead Kolasinac, who shrugged off a knock to play, and Sassuolo’s Tarik Muharemovic.
Bosnia have only ever beaten Italy once, the very first friendly the new nation ever played at home in November 1996, followed by a 1-1 draw and four defeats.
Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Italy line-ups
Bosnia: Vasilj; Dedic, Muharemovic, Katic, Kolasinac; Bajraktarevic, Sunjic, Basic, Memic; Demirovic, Dzeko
Bosnia bench: Hadzikic, Zlomislic, Mujakic, Celik, Tahirovic, Gigovic, Bazdar, Hadziahmetovic, Burnic, Alajbegovic, Radeljic, Tabakovic
Italy: Donnarumma; Mancini, Bastoni, Calafiori; Politano, Barella, Locatelli, Tonali, Dimarco; Kean, Retegui
Italy bench: Carnesecchi, Meret, Palestra, Spinazzola, Buongiorno, Raspadori, Pisilli, Pio Esposito, Cristante, Frattesi, Gatti, Cambiaso
Ref: Turpin (FRA)
Player statistic
| 15' | Moise Kean (Assist: Nicolò Barella) | |||
| 41' | Alessandro Bastoni |
| Benjamin Tahirovic | 54' | |||
| Haris Tabakovic | 79' | |||
| 81' | Gianluigi Donnarumma |