News Focus
- Edin Dzeko selected for Bosnia-Herzegovina’s 2026 World Cup squad at age 40
- Striker set to become only the second outfield player in history to play at the finals after turning 40
- Bosnia becomes first nation to confirm final 26-man list for tournament in North America
- Only Roger Milla and six goalkeepers have previously played at a World Cup aged 40 or above
- Bosnia placed in Group B alongside Canada, Qatar and Switzerland
Bosnia-Herzegovina has become the first country to announce its final squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The national team named 26 players for the tournament, which will take place across the United States, Canada and Mexico this summer.
Veteran forward Edin Dzeko leads the selection. The former Manchester City star, who currently plays for FC Schalke 04, will be 40 years old during the competition. This will place him in a very small group of players who have appeared at a World Cup after their 40th birthday.
Only one other outfield player has achieved this feat. Cameroon legend Roger Milla played and scored at the 1994 finals in the USA when he was over 40 years old. Six goalkeepers have also played at the tournament aged 40 or older. Egypt’s Essam El Hadary holds the record at 45 years old from the 2018 World Cup. The list also includes Colombia’s Faryd Mondragon, Northern Ireland’s Pat Jennings, England’s Peter Shilton, Italy’s Dino Zoff and Tunisia’s Ali Boumnijel.
Dzeko has earned 148 caps for his country and scored 73 international goals. He featured in seven of Bosnia’s eight qualifying matches and both play-off games. Other famous players expected to feature in their forties at the 2026 finals include Croatia’s Luka Modric, aged 40, and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, aged 41.
This marks only the second time Bosnia has qualified for the World Cup finals. The team will face Canada, Qatar and Switzerland in Group B. The squad features players from top European leagues, including defender Sead Kolasinac from Atalanta, full-back Amar Dedic from Benfica, and forward Ermedin Demirovic from VfB Stuttgart.