Switzerland vs Bosnia and Herzegovina Preview: Team News & Prediction | FIFA World Cup 2026 | Group Stage
Under pressure after an underwhelming performance and result in their opening game, Switzerland now seek a much-needed victory against a stubborn Bosnia and Herzegovina side in Los Angeles.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – ITV / USA – FOX Sports
How to watch online: UK – ITVX / USA – FOX One
Switzerland preview: Frustrated in their opener
Switzerland came into FIFA World Cup 2026 as the Pot 2 team in Group B with co-hosts Canada in Pot 1 but many would have expected the Swiss to win the group and use all of their major tournament experience to ease into the knockout stages and build upon their UEFA EURO 2024 excursions whereby they reached the quarter-finals and lost to England on penalties.
However, it was a very frustrating opening game for the Swiss in the San Francisco Bay Area. They looked like they could run rampant early on against Qatar with Breel Embolo converting an early penalty. However, they then struggled to break the Qataris down before a late Miro Muheim own goal gave Qatar a shock equaliser and a share of the spoils.
Bosnia and Herzegovina preview: In the hunt
The resilience and strong mentality of Bosnia and Herzegovina was on show as they defeated both Wales and Italy on penalties in their UEFA play-offs but what many may have dismissed as fortune to qualify via a couple of spot-kick victories may well have contributed to the actual quality of the Bosnians being overlooked, given that they did narrowly miss out on automatic qualification for the tournament late on against Austria in November.
Sergej Barbarez' side set about their opening clash against co-hosts Canada to frustrate the Canadians in Toronto and they did that for much of the game, opening the scoring when Jovo Lukic converted from a Sead Kolasinac flick-on. However, with the Canadians dominating the game in the second half, they did eventually get an equaliser via Cyle Larin, with Kolasinac in particular proving crucial to the avoidance of defeat for the Bosnians in their opener.
Switzerland team news: Manzambi to push for a start
Further team news will appear here closer to the match after pre-match press conferences...
It appeared as though, off the back of an excellent season at Freiburg as they reached the UEFA Europa League final, Johan Manzambi would be starting for the Swiss, perhaps even at wing-back, but Murat Yakin went for the more cautious option of Michel Aebischer.
Aebischer played well at wing-back and Ruben Vargas may be in most jeopardy in the front three, with Noah Okafor also pushing to start. It is expected that Yakin persists with the back three, despite its apparent limitations against sides that sit deep, as Qatar did and as Bosnia likely will.
Predicted XI (3-4-3): Kobel; Zakaria, Akanji, Elvedi; Aebischer, Freuler, Xhaka, Rodriguez; Manzambi, Embolo, Ndoye
Unavailable:
Questionable:
Bosnia and Herzegovina team news: Dzeko could return
Further team news will appear here closer to the match after pre-match press conferences...
Sergej Barbarez did make some surprising inclusions in his opening eleven with Jovo Lukic perhaps the most surprising but his goal may well ensure he retains his spot as Edin Dzeko, named on the bench but not deemed fit enough to start nor come on against Canada, races back to fitness.
Kerim Alajbegovic was another surprising absentee from the eleven but the game plan, flexible as it switched from a back three to a four, worked. Haris Tabakovic was unavailable for the opener due to an ankle injury.
Predicted XI (3-4-1-2): Vasilj; Muharemovic, Katic, Kolasinac; Dedic, Basic, Tahirovic, Bajraktarevic; Lukic; Dzeko, Demirovic
Unavailable:
Questionable: Dzeko (Fitness), Tabakovic (Injured)
Switzerland’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Gregor Kobel ($4.7m) – Goalkeeper
Manuel Akanji ($5.0m) – Defender
Breel Embolo ($7.5m) – Forward
Matchday 2 captain pick: Breel Embolo
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Granit Xhaka, Breel Embolo
Free kicks: Granit Xhaka
Corners: Ruben Vargas, Fabian Rieder
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Sead Kolasinac ($4.3m) – Defender
Ermedin Demirovic ($6.2m) – Forward
Jovo Lukic ($5.6m) – Forward
Matchday 2 captain pick: Ermedin Demirovic
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Edin Dzeko, Haris Tabakovic
Free kicks: Amar Dedic, Benjamin Tahirovic
Corners: Amar Dedic, Benjamin Tahirovic
Key stats
- The only previous meeting between the two sides ended in a 2-0 friendly victory for Bosnia and Herzegovina in Zurich (March 2016), with Edin Džeko opening the scoring. Sead Kolašinac also played for Bosnia and Herzegovina, while Granit Xhaka and Ricardo Rodríguez were starters for Switzerland, with Breel Embolo appearing as a substitute.
- Switzerland have lost only one of their last eight FIFA World Cup group stage matches (W4 D3).
- Switzerland have only failed to score in one of their last ten FIFA World Cup group stage matches.
- Only three of Switzerland’s previous 42 FIFA World Cup matches finished 0-0.
- This is Bosnia and Herzegovina's first FIFA World Cup match against a European team. All their four previous matches at the finals came against sides from different confederations — AFC, CAF, Concacaf and CONMEBOL.
- Bosnia and Herzegovina were leading 1-0 at half-time in their last two FIFA World Cup matches.
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Switzerland vs Bosnia and Herzegovina prediction
Switzerland have put themselves in a tricky spot here. The Swiss looked as though they may run riot early on against the Qataris, with Breel Embolo and Dan Ndoye getting in behind quite often in the opening exchanges. As Qatar became more organised, though, holes were difficult to find and Bosnia and Herzegovina are perhaps even more solid and organised as they take to the field in Los Angeles.
The Swiss will be expected to come out on top but as was the case in their first game, they may struggle to find fluency in the final third and the Bosnians are more than obdurate opposition for them to face in California.
Switzerland vs Bosnia and Herzegovina betting tip: Switzerland to win & under 3.5 goals
