Bosnia and Herzegovina beat Wales 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 draw to reach the World Cup play-off final, where they will face Italy.
Bosnia and Herzegovina kept their FIFA World Cup dream alive after defeating Wales 4-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw after extra time. The dramatic victory at Cardiff City Stadium secured their place in the play-off final against Italy, ending Wales’ hopes of back-to-back World Cup appearances.
Wales started brightly as Harry Wilson nearly produced an early moment of magic. The talisman curled a superb effort toward the far corner, only to see it crash against the post, much to the relief of the travelling Bosnian supporters.
The visitors responded with a physical approach that disrupted the rhythm of the game, though Wales still created chances from set-pieces, with Wilson forcing Nikola Vasilj into a sharp near-post save.
The deadlock was broken seven minutes into the second half when Daniel James fired Wales ahead. The Leeds United winger reacted quickest to a loose ball and unleashed a powerful strike from distance that caught Vasilj off guard, with the goalkeeper appearing to slip at a crucial moment. Buoyed by his goal, James nearly doubled the lead soon after, but his left-footed effort deflected onto the crossbar.
If you are going to watch anything today, watch Dan James’ opener for Wales against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
What a strike.
🎥 @BBCSportWalespic.twitter.com/2LMZJDdYUY
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) March 26, 2026
Bosnia and Herzegovina increased their attacking intent as their World Cup hopes began to fade. Ermedin Demirović went close with a header that required Karl Darlow to stretch at full length to keep Wales in front.
However, the Welsh goalkeeper’s earlier heroics were undone late on when he came off his line for an 86th-minute corner, allowing veteran striker Edin Džeko to glance a header into the net and send the tie into extra time.
Both teams battled hard during the additional 30 minutes, with Tarik Muharemović producing a crucial defensive header to deny Wilson. Wales appeared the stronger side in the closing stages of extra time, but Bosnia stood firm, forcing the match into a penalty shootout to determine who would progress.
The shootout began nervously, with Darlow making an early save for Wales. However, Brennan Johnson fired over the bar, and Neco Williams saw his penalty superbly stopped by Vasilj, swinging the momentum in Bosnia’s favour. That set the stage for Kerim Alajbegović, who confidently drilled home the decisive spot-kick to spark wild celebrations among the travelling supporters.
The victory keeps Bosnia and Herzegovina’s hopes of reaching a second World Cup finals alive, while Wales are left to reflect on a heartbreaking exit. Bosnia will now face Italy in the play-off final, with a place in the tournament in North America at stake.
