Both Italy and Bosnia will look to end a 12-year World Cup hiatus as the pair face off in a playoff final on Tuesday evening. The game will take place in the Bosnian city of Zenica and will kick off at 7:45pm. Find our match preview and best bets below.
Best Bets & Predictions
| Our Prediction | Odds & Bookmaker | Confidence | Why We’re Backing It |
|---|---|---|---|
| Italy to Win | 6/10 @ Ladbrokes (62.5%) | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | Italy are expected to have the upper hand against Bosnia thanks to their quality and squad depth. Bosnia may put up a fight at home, but Italy look likely to confirm their spot at the World Cup without too much trouble. |
| Correct Score: Italy 2-1 | 11/1 @ Betway (8.3%) | ⭐⭐⭐ | resilience last year, scoring late to draw before eliminating Wales, and only two teams managed to beat them in 2025. Their defence has struggled, keeping just three clean sheets since the start of last year, which Italy will look to exploit. Italy have been in strong attacking form and are likely to dominate, although they can be vulnerable away from home. Bosnia may get a chance or two, but history favours the Azzurri, who have won four of the last five meetings. Expect goals at both ends, but Italy should extend their unbeaten run. |
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How both teams go into Bosnia vs Italy
Bosnia-Herzegovina face Italy for the seventh time, having only won once in their previous encounters, a 2-1 shock victory back in 1996. Both nations are now chasing a first World Cup finals appearance since 2014, with just one more win needed to secure a spot. Bosnia reached this stage after Edin Dzeko’s equaliser in the semi-final and a penalty shootout win over Wales, keeping their World Cup hopes alive.
Italy, meanwhile, had to settle for the playoffs after missing out on automatic qualification, including a costly draw with Austria in November. The match in Zenica offers Bosnia a chance to use home advantage and cold conditions to their benefit, even though they sit 58 places below Italy in the FIFA rankings. A win would send them to Group B at this summer’s World Cup alongside Canada, Qatar and Switzerland.
Italy enter this World Cup qualifying playoff under intense pressure after successive failures to reach the finals. Despite being four-time world champions and winning the delayed Euros in 2021, they last featured on the global stage seven years ago. This is their third consecutive campaign ending in the playoffs, having survived semi-final defeats to Sweden and North Macedonia.
They secured a 2-0 win over Northern Ireland in the semi-final thanks to second-half goals from Sandro Tonali and Moise Kean. While Italy have scored freely under Gennaro Gattuso, averaging over two goals per game since he replaced Luciano Spalletti, defensive vulnerabilities remain, highlighted by two heavy defeats to Norway earlier in qualifying. The Azzurri will need both their attacking firepower and improved defensive discipline to overcome Bosnia and secure a place at the World Cup.
Bosnia team news
Bosnia boss Sergej Barbarez is expected to stick with a familiar lineup, although young talent Kerim Alajbegovic could push for a place. At 40, Edin Dzeko remains his nation’s all-time top scorer with 73 goals, including six in this qualifying campaign. He is likely to lead the attack alongside Ermedin Demirovic, while experienced Serie A defenders Tarik Muharmovic and Sead Kolasinac will anchor the backline.
Notable absentees include Sampdoria’s Dennis Hadzikadunic and Sturm Graz trio Emir Karic, Arjan Malic and Jusuf Gazibegovic. Despite these missing players, Bosnia will rely on their core squad and home advantage as they look to challenge Italy in the crucial World Cup playoff.
Italy team news
Gennaro Gattuso is likely to stick with the Italy side that beat Northern Ireland, though Mateo Retegui could be replaced by 20-year-old Inter striker Pio Esposito, who has scored three goals in his last five World Cup qualifiers and netted both of Inter’s last two league goals.
Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo and Liverpool’s Federico Chiesa are absent, but Alessandro Bastoni, Gianluca Mancini and Riccardo Calafiori are fit and available. Gianluca Scamacca remains sidelined with an adductor problem, meaning Retegui, Kean and Esposito will compete for the two forward positions.
Conclusion
Playoff history has not favoured either team, but under Gattuso Italy look energised and are expected to edge past their opponents this time. Back the Italians to get the job done in 90 minutes or take a punt at 11/1 on the correct score being 2-1 to the visitors.
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