Bosnia & Herzegovina 3-1 Qatar Highlights, FIFA World Cup 2026: The Dragons Reach Brink Of Qualification With Victory

Greetings, we are back with our FIFA World Cup 2026 live blog as Bosnia & Herzegovina and Qatar face-off in the Group B finale. The action is about to begin, so stay tuned for all the live updates from Seattle Stadium.

Competition: FIFA World Cup 2026

Stage: Group Stage (Group B)

Kickoff Time: 12:00 PM local time (12:30 AM IST on June 25)

Venue: Seattle Stadium (Lumen Field), Seattle, Washington, USA

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be telecast live on Unite8 Sports network on television. For live streaming, one can catch the action on the Zee5 app and website.

Heading into the final matchday of Group B, Canada and Switzerland currently sit level on four points, having already secured their advancement to the Round of 32. Canada holds the top spot due to a superior goal difference (+6 compared to Switzerland's +3), meaning they only need a draw in today's head-to-head meeting to finish as group winners. Switzerland, meanwhile, must secure an outright victory over the co-hosts to leapfrog them into first place. In the group's other match, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Qatar both enter with one point and remain in contention for a third-place finish; while neither can catch the top two, a win for either could potentially boost their chances of progressing as one of the eight best third-placed teams in the tournament.

Nikola Vasilj; Stjepan Radeljic, Arjan Malic, Nikola Katic, Sead Kolasinac; Esmir Bajraktarevic, Ivan Basic, Ivan Sunjic, Kerim Alajbegovic; Edin Dzeko, Ermedin Demirovic

SUBS: Nihad Mujakic, Dennis Hadzikadunic, Benjamin Tahirovic, Amar Dedic, Armin Gigovic, Samed Bazdar, Mladen Jurkas, Amar Memic, Amir Hadziahmetovic, Dzenis Burnic, Martin Zlomislic, Haris Tabakovic, Jovo Lukic, Ermin Mahmic

Mahmoud Abunada; Pedro Miguel, Issa Laye, Boualem Khoukhi, Sultan Al Brake; Jassem Gaber, Ahmed Fathy, Karim Boudiaf; Hassan Al Haydos, Akram Afif, Edmilson Junior

SUBS: Lucas Mendes, Abdulaziz Hatem, Ahmed Alaa, Mohammed Muntari, Ayoub Al Oui, Yusuf Abdurisag, Ahmed Al Ganehi, Almoez Ali, Salah Zakaria, Meshaal Barsham, Tahsin Mohammed, Al Hashmi Al Hussain, Mohammad Al Manai

The match is officially underway at the stadium! Referee Jesús Valenzuela has sounded his whistle, signaling the start of the action. Both sides are currently settling into their tactical formations as the opening exchanges begin.

Qatar is starting to establish some presence in the attacking third. Akram Afif led a charge down the left flank, successfully forcing a corner kick to put pressure on the opposition.

However, the ensuing set-piece proved disappointing. Afif’s delivery failed to find a target, sailing harmlessly across the face of the goal and out of play for a throw-in on the far side. It was a wasted opportunity, and Qatar will certainly need more precision from their key playmakers if they hope to break the deadlock and secure a victory today.

The intensity is picking up as Bosnia-Herzegovina continues to test the Qatar defense. Basic just attempted a bold strike from distance, unleashing an ambitious left-footed effort that whistled over the crossbar. While it certainly kept the crowd—and the goalkeeper—alert, it ultimately lacked the required accuracy to find the net.

GOAL! Bosnia-Herzegovina Strike First

What a moment of pure brilliance! Alajbegovic has produced a stunning individual effort to break the deadlock and give Bosnia-Herzegovina the lead.

After dancing past a swarm of Qatar defenders with incredible footwork, he found space at the edge of the box and unleashed a thunderous right-footed strike. The ball flew into the top right-hand corner, leaving the keeper with absolutely no chance. A true contender for goal of the tournament!

Disaster strikes for Qatar! Just as they were looking to settle back into the game, they have conceded a second, and in the most unfortunate fashion imaginable.

The danger originated from the left flank through Kolasinac, who floated a deep cross toward the back post to find Edin Džeko. Džeko attempted to volley the ball back across the face of the goal, but his effort struck Al Brake and took a cruel deflection, trickling into the bottom right-hand corner. It is a devastating turn of events for Qatar, who now face a daunting two-goal deficit.

Bosnia-Herzegovina remains relentless! On a landmark night for captain Edin Džeko—marking his 150th international appearance—the veteran striker was mere inches away from putting the result beyond doubt.

After being played in by a brilliant ball over the top from Basic, Džeko controlled the pass perfectly in his stride. He looked to curl a left-footed strike into the far corner, but his effort agonizingly rattled the post. Qatar scrambled to clear the rebound, surviving a major scare that would have surely sealed their fate.

Qatar has pulled one back in this intense Group B showdown, giving themselves a crucial boost heading toward the halftime break!

The attacking move was orchestrated down the right wing, where Miguel delivered a precise deep cross to the back post. Edmilson Junior did well to keep the play alive, squaring the ball across for Hassan Al-Haydos, who made no mistake tapping it home from close range. While the Bosnia-Herzegovina defense will be frustrated by the lapse in concentration, Qatar has managed to cut the deficit to 2–1.

The referee has brought an end to an exhilarating first half! It has been a rollercoaster 45 minutes in Seattle, with Bosnia-Herzegovina heading into the locker room with a slender lead, though the momentum feels firmly with a resurgent Qatar side.

Bosnia-Herzegovina grabbed a deserved lead through a moment of individual brilliance from Kerim Alajbegović, who danced past the defense to fire into the top corner. They doubled their advantage shortly after when an attempt by Edin Džeko deflected off Sultan Al-Brake for an own goal. Just as the match threatened to slip away from them, Qatar responded with urgency. In the 41st minute, Hassan Al-Haydos turned home a deep cross from Miguel to drag his side back into contention just before the whistle.

On the other hand, the match between Switzerland and Canada has reached the interval in a cagey stalemate, with both sides heading into the locker rooms locked at 0-0. It has been a disciplined, tactical affair so far, as neither team has been able to find the breakthrough in a scoreless first half.

You can follow the live score of the Switzerland vs Canada match here.

Disaster for Qatar as Hassan Al-Haydos, the man who breathed life back into their comeback effort just before halftime, has been forced off the pitch due to injury. He was clearly emotional as he left the field, a tough sight for a player who had been central to Qatar's offensive rhythm.

Alganehi has been brought on as the replacement. It is a significant blow for manager Lopetegui, as they now have to chase this 2-1 deficit without their goalscorer and primary creative spark.

Qatar is signaling their intent to get back on level terms! Akram Afif just produced a dangerous moment after being slipped through on the left by Hatem.

Entering the box with pace, Afif opted to go for goal himself, rifling a left-footed strike that ultimately found only the side-netting. It was a golden opportunity that went begging, especially with Al Ganehi making a run in the middle—a pass across the face of the goal might have resulted in a much simpler tap-in.

On the other hand, the match between Switzerland and Canada has seen a dramatic shift in momentum, with Switzerland now holding a commanding 2-0 lead at BC Place. After a tightly contested, scoreless first half, the Swiss struck just 40 seconds into the second period through Rubén Vargas. The pressure continued to mount on the co-hosts, and Johan Manzambi doubled the advantage in the 57th minute following a defensive error from the Canadian side. Switzerland is currently in control as they look to secure the top spot in Group B and leapfrog Canada in the group standings.

Qatar is turning the screws as they search for that elusive equalizer! They just carved out a dangerous opportunity from a set-piece when Akram Afif delivered a pinpoint corner to the back post, finding Khoukhi.

Khoukhi immediately fizzed a powerful right-footed volley back across the face of the goal, forcing Demirovic into a frantic, unorthodox clearance to turn the ball behind for another corner. While Bosnia-Herzegovina managed to deal with the subsequent delivery without too much trouble, it is clear that Qatar’s aerial threat and relentless approach are causing genuine panic in the Bosnian ranks.

Canada has pulled a goal back against Switzerland in their Group B clash at BC Place!

Substitute Promise David made an immediate impact, scoring with his very first touch in the 76th minute. The move was started by a precise long pass into the box, which was turned back across the face of goal by Nathan Saliba, allowing David to volley home from 12 yards out.

The goal has injected fresh life into the match as Canada looks to pressure the Swiss defense in the final stages of the game. Switzerland currently leads 2–1, with their earlier goals coming from Rubén Vargas and Johan Manzambi.

GOAL! Bosnia-Herzegovina Extend Lead to 3-1

Bosnia-Herzegovina has likely put this match to bed! In a frantic sequence inside the penalty area, Radeljic saw his initial left-footed strike blocked by a wall of defenders, but the ball broke kindly for Mahmic.

Showing great anticipation, Mahmic poked a right-footed effort toward the goal. While goalkeeper Abunada will feel he should have done better to keep it out, the ball squeezed past him to find the back of the net. It is a massive goal that puts Bosnia-Herzegovina firmly in the driver's seat.

Qatar continues to push forward in the final stages of the match, but they are struggling to convert their momentum into goals. Most recently, Akram Afif threaded a brilliant pass to Almoez Ali on the right, who attempted to set up Boualem Khoukhi for a tap-in. The pass lacked the necessary weight, however, allowing the Bosnian defense to scramble and clear the danger.

Bosnia-Herzegovina secured a vital 3–1 victory over Qatar in Seattle to keep their 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout aspirations alive, thanks to a stunning opener from 18-year-old Kerim Alajbegović, a crucial own goal by Sultan Al-Brake, and a late clincher from Ermin Mahmić that rendered Hassan Al-Haydos's 42nd-minute strike a mere consolation. Despite Qatar slightly edging the expected goals (xG) battle, they bow out at the bottom of Group B with just one point, while Bosnia-Herzegovina’s four-point finish leaves them well-positioned for the Round of 32. In the other group finale, Switzerland defeated Canada 2–1 in Vancouver to claim top spot, ensuring that Canada, alongside Switzerland, advances to the knockout stages alongside fellow hosts Mexico and the USA.