'All of Bosnia is on fire!', fans celebrate World Cup qualification with flares and chants

Record ID: 2372174

  • Title: 'All of Bosnia is on fire!', fans celebrate World Cup qualification with flares and chants
  • Date: 1st April 2026
  • Summary: ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA (APRIL 1, 2026) (REUTERS) (MUTE) DRONE SHOT OF BOSNIAN FANS AT STADIUM CELEBRATING QUALIFYING FOR WORLD CUP (MUTE) VARIOUS OF DRONE SHOTS OF FANS, SOME DRAPED IN BOSNIAN FLAGS, CELEBRATING ON STREETS, HOLDING FLARES FAN DRIVING IN CAR, HOLDING BOSNIAN FLAG, HONKING FANS BLOWING VUVUZELAS, CHEERING FAN LEANING THROUGH CAR WINDOW, HOLDING FLAG
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: Bosnia Italy World Cup play-offs qualifiers
  • Location: ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
  • City: ZENICA, BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
  • Country: Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Topics: Europe,Soccer,Sport
  • Reuters ID: LVA001908501042026RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Bosnian soccer fans celebrated wildly in the streets of Zenica after their national team qualified for the World Cup by defeating Italy 4-1 in a penalty shootout on Tuesday (March 31). 
    The qualification ended a 12-year wait for Bosnia and Herzegovina to return to football's biggest tournament.
    Dozens of fans celebrated at the stadium and hundreds spilled onto the streets, many draped in Bosnian flags and holding flares. 
    Cars honked their horns as supporters leaned through windows waving flags.
    Bosnia prevailed on penalties after the playoff final ended 1-1 after extra time to qualify for the World Cup for only the second time.
    After coming from a goal down to beat Wales on penalties in Thursday's semi-final, Bosnia put in a repeat performance to stun the four-time champions, as Italy failed to reach the finals for the third successive time.
    Bosnia will join co-hosts Canada, Qatar and Switzerland in Group B at the World Cup, while Italy's footballing inquest begins anew, having won just a single match at the finals since lifting the trophy in 2006.
    (Production: Branko Filipovic, Malgorzata Wojtunik)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2026. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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