Bosnia, Czechia, Sweden and Türkiye qualify as Italy miss out
Bosnia and Herzegovina and Czechia won shootouts to reach the FIFA World Cup 2026™, while Sweden and Türkiye joined them after narrow victories.
UEFA qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ came to a dramatic end across the continent on Tuesday evening. In Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina triumphed on penalties, meaning Italy will miss out on the FIFA World Cup™ for the third consecutive time.
Elsewhere, Czechia beat Denmark, also on penalties, while Viktor Gyokeres and Kerem Akturkoglu scored the winning goals for Sweden and Türkiye over Poland and Kosovo, respectively.
Path A
Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-1 Italy (4-1 PSO)
Bilino Polje Stadium, Zenica
Bosnia and Herzegovina goal: Haris Tabakovic (79)
Italy goal: Moise Kean (15)
Bosnia and Herzegovina hit a 79th-minute equaliser in normal time and then won on penalties to devastate Italy. The Dragons will now play at a second World Cup following their Brazil 2014 participation, while the Azzurri will unthinkably watch a third straight global finals on TV. Bosnia and Herzegovina will play Canada in Toronto, Switzerland in the San Francisco Bay Area, and Qatar in Seattle at the global finals.
Bosnia and Herzegovina goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj will have nightmares about the opening goal, having passed the ball straight out to Nicolo Barella. The Inter midfielder glanced up and unselfishly played it into the path of Kean, whose sublime, first-time finish flew into the net from just outside the box.
Sergej Barbarez’s men immediately pushed for an equaliser and assumed a numerical advantage just before the break. Amar Memic raced through on goal and, when just outside the box, was felled by Alessandro Bastoni, who was sent off.
The Bosnians began to fling crosses into the Italian box, but Riccardo Calafiori, Federico Gatti and Gianluca Mancini made incessant headed clearances and Gianluigi Donnarumma made repeated saves when called upon. When the latter repelled one attempt, though, Haris Tabakovic stabbed it home from two yards out to send the contest to extra time.
The additional 30 minutes produced no goals. With Donnarumma in the sticks, Italy were the favourites to win on spot-kicks, but Bosnia and Herzegovina converted all of theirs as Bryan Cristante and Pio Esposito missed.
Quote
“I still can’t believe we’ve gone out like this, after a match we fought tooth and nail to take to penalties. We could have scored more goals. It’s a huge disappointment for everyone: for us, for our families and for the Italian children who won’t get to see another World Cup.”
Leonardo Spinazzola, Italy full-back
Path B
Sweden 3-2 Poland
Friends Arena, Solna
Sweden goals: Anthony Elanga (19), Gustaf Lagerbielke (44), Viktor Gyokeres (88)
Poland goal: Nicola Zalewski (33), Karol Swiderski (55)
Sweden edged a thriller with Poland to qualify, also claiming revenge on the Poles for their Qatar 2022 play-off final defeat.
The Swedes took the lead when a flowing move found Yasin Ayari, whose clever flick set up Elanga to thunder an effort in off the crossbar. Poland fought back, though, and got a deserved leveller after Zalewski's low effort squirmed past Kristoffer Nordfeldt. The contest looked to be heading into the break all square, until Lagerbielke headed Sweden back ahead from a wicked Benjamin Nygren cross.
Poland pressed after the interval and once again drew level when Matty Cash's cross was flicked on by Jakub Kaminski to Zalewski, who squared for Swiderski to tap in. Extra time beckoned until chaos in the Poland box saw Lucas Bergvall's effort parried to Besfort Zeneli, and while his effort struck the post, Gyokeres was there to smash home the winner.
Graham Potter's side will join Group F at the finals, alongside Tunisia, Netherlands and Japan.
Path C
Kosovo 0-1 Türkiye
Fadil Vokrri Stadium, Pristina
Türkiye goal: Kerem Akturkoglu (53)
Türkiye brought an end to their 24-year absence from the World Cup with a narrow victory over plucky Kosovo, which was sealed by an opportunistic effort from Kerem Akturkoglu. They will now join Group D at the global finals alongside Australia, Paraguay and co-hosts USA.
It was another scrappy performance for Vincenzo Montella's men, who edged past Romania in the UEFA play-off semi-finals. They nevertheless deserved the triumph over Kosovo, who fought to the end but agonisingly missed out on a maiden performance at football's biggest stage.
Playing in front of the pouring rain at Fadil Vokrri Stadium in Pristina, Türkiye soon imposed their will on the proceedings with Kenan Yildiz repeatedly probing the Kosovo defence early on. The game opened up in the 27th minute when a dipping, swerving effort from Türkiye midfielder Orkun Kokcu flew just over the bar. Moments later, Kosovo almost had the breakthrough when a powerful effort from Fisnik Asllani was expertly tipped on to the crossbar by Ugurcan Cakir.
Türkiye took the lead early in the second half when Yildiz squared the ball to Kokcu, whose scuffed effort was turned into the net by the studs of Akturkoglu. Florent Muslija struck just wide with ten minutes remaining as the visitors held on for victory to seal an emotional return to the World Cup for the first time since 2002, when they finished third.
Path D
Czechia 2-2 Denmark (3-1 PSO)
Generali Arena, Prague
Czechia goals: Pavel Sulc (3), Ladislav Krejci (100)
Denmark goals: Joachim Andersen (72), Kasper Hogh (111)
Czechia are heading back to the World Cup after a 20-year absence as Michal Sadilek settled a nerve-shredding penalty shootout against Denmark. Sadilek held his composure to convert beyond Mads Hermansen and spark scenes of delirium in Prague, with Christian Eriksen the only Danish player able to score from the spot. Rasmus Hojlund smashed the first kick against the bar, Matej Kovar saved from Anders Dreyer, and Mathias Jensen launched his effort high over the bar and into the fans behind the goal.
The preceding 120 minutes had been no less dramatic, with Czechia twice taking the lead and Denmark twice battling back to level and take an end-to-end match to penalties.
Czechia had made a dream start to the contest as Vladimir Coufal’s corner fell to Pavel Sulc on the edge of the box, with the Lyon midfielder unleashing an unstoppable, first-time right-footed effort which arrowed into the top corner of Hermansen’s net. Denmark dominated possession and pushed hard for a leveller as the game moved into the second period, and the pressure from Brian Riemer’s men finally told when Mikkel Damsgaard whipped a teasing free-kick into the box for Joachim Andersen to glance home ahead of Kovar.
Czechia captain Ladislav Krejci, who struck late on in the semi-final against Republic of Ireland on Thursday, was on target again in a crucial fixture as he swivelled in the box to fire home after Coufal’s cross had caused chaos in the Denmark defence. Yet once again Brian Riemer’s side refused to buckle, and they dragged themselves back on terms with just eight minutes remaining as Kasper Hogh produced a superb header from an Anders Dreyer corner.
But it was to be Miroslav Koubek’s men who would prevail, and they now take their place in World Cup Group A, where they will face Korea Republic in Guadalajara, South Africa in Atlanta, and co-hosts Mexico in Mexico City.