Italy faces Bosnia in World Cup playoff final tonight

Italy will contest the World Cup 2026 playoff final against Bosnia-Herzegovina tonight at 20:45 local time at the Bilino Polje stadium in Zenica. The winner advances to the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada; the loser is eliminated.

Italy's manager Gennaro Gattuso guided the Azzurri to the final with a 2-0 semifinal victory over Northern Ireland on Thursday in Bergamo. Goals from Tonali and Kean secured that win. Bosnia-Herzegovina reached the final by defeating Wales on penalties at Cardiff after a 1-1 draw through regular and extra time.

Gattuso addressed the weight of expectation before the match. "The eyes of the players I have met are good, because we have been together these past days and the environment has always been positive," he said. "Tonight we are playing an important match and we have prepared it well, with the awareness of playing against a team that has technique and physicality."

The manager emphasized the mental state of his squad. "A great performance will be needed from us. The players are the first who want to go to the World Cup. If results do not arrive, they suffer in silence; they pretend to have broad shoulders, but it is not so. I can assure you they will do everything. There are people who would give their life and soul to reach this objective. You feel pressure, you feel a country on your shoulders and the responsibility of the people around you."

Matteo Politano, 32, spoke to the national team's media about the significance of the opportunity. "For a couple of months our only thought has been going to the World Cup. We deserve it, but we must prove it on the pitch. We all know what we are playing for. For me and for someone else who is no longer young, it will probably be the last chance, and we want to take advantage of it," Politano said.

The match will be broadcast on Rai 1, with French referee Turpin officiating. Italy's squad will be without Caprile, Coppola, Cambiaghi, Scalvini and Scamacca. The formation is expected to remain unchanged from the Northern Ireland victory.

Bosnia has promised a hostile atmosphere despite the stadium's capacity of approximately 16,000 seats. The country's squad includes players such as Dzeko.

Italy has not qualified for the World Cup in the past two editions, having been eliminated in the preliminary rounds in 2018 and 2022.