Bosnia vs Austria Prediction for 10 September 2025 - Football

🔊 Bosnia and Herzegovina are set to host Austria in a clash for the top spot in Group H of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Both national teams remain unbeaten in the qualifying stage, although the "Red-Whites" have played one less match. This matchup is arguably the most intriguing in terms of standings scenarios, with all underdogs and contenders for the top two spots in the group already defeated. Despite a 50-place gap in the FIFA rankings between the nations, Bosnia's performances make this difference hardly noticeable. Will the visitors secure a victory with their superior class, or will the hosts once again fight tooth and nail for a result? Let's explore all possible scenarios for the upcoming encounter to make a well-founded prediction.

Head-to-Head

📊 Bosnia and Herzegovina have only made it to the major international tournament once in their history, during the 2014 World Cup in South Africa. Austria, on the other hand, have qualified for the tournament seven times, but all of those appearances were in the last century, with their last World Cup being in France in 1998. The two teams have faced off recently, with their head-to-head encounters occurring in the 2018 UEFA Nations League B division. Back then, the "Wunderteam" failed to defeat the Bosnians, drawing 0-0 at home and losing 0-1 away.

Bosnia & Herzegovina Team Overview

Once a participant in League A of the Nations League, following a disappointing performance in a group with Germany, the Netherlands, and Hungary (0 wins), resulting in relegation, they are now finding their stride in the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. Under Sergej Barbarez, the team's results have been the complete opposite—4 wins in 4 matches with an aggregate score of 10:1. However, this goal difference could be misleading: it reached such a level after their last match against San Marino (6:0), where the "White-Blues" also saw a sending-off. All other victories were hard-fought with minimal margins.

The legend of Bosnian football, Edin Džeko, even at 39, remains the national team's star player. In the current World Cup qualification, he has scored 3 goals in 3 matches. The newly signed Fiorentina player is also thriving at the club level—his goal in the Conference League playoffs was decisive in the return leg against Ukrainian side Polissya. Other Bosnian stars include Amar Dedić (Benfica) and Ermedin Demirović (Stuttgart), who collectively have a goal and an assist in this qualification campaign.

Austria Team Overview

The "Wunderteam" under Ralf Rangnick had a solid run at Euro 2024, finishing first in a group with France, the Netherlands, and Poland. However, they fell to Turkey in the Round of 16 with a 1-2 defeat. They then claimed the second spot in their Nations League group but lost the playoffs for promotion to Division A. In the World Cup 2026 qualifiers, Austria are arguably the frontrunners in their group, as evidenced by their results: three wins in three matches with a goal difference of 7-1. Their recent clash with Cyprus turned out surprisingly competitive. Despite dominating possession (71% to 29%), the "Red and Whites" trailed in terms of chances created. Nevertheless, Ralf Rangnick's squad secured all three points, thanks to a penalty converted by Marcel Sabitzer.

The standout players for Austria in the current World Cup qualifying campaign are local stars: Marko Arnautović, Konrad Laimer, Marcel Sabitzer, and Christoph Baumgartner. Each has contributed at least one goal or assist, with Sabitzer and Arnautović leading the charge with two goals and one assist each. The iconic 36-year-old forward of the "Wunderteam" recently joined Red Star Belgrade, making an impressive debut in the domestic league with a goal and an assist, earning him the Man of the Match title.

Latest news

Bosnia & Herzegovina

⭐ Ahead of the summer training camps, Bosnia and Herzegovina bid farewell to another iconic footballer, Miralem Pjanić. The president of the country's football association and its sporting director presented the midfielder with a framed jersey bearing the number 115, representing the number of matches he played for the national team. The federation's press office also stated: "The Football Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina would like to once again thank Miralem Pjanić for his years of dedication, professionalism, and passion for the national team jersey. We wish him happiness and success in his future personal and professional endeavors."

❌ Sead Kolašinac and Arijan Malić did not travel for the September qualification matches. The former Schalke, Arsenal, and Marseille defender, now with Atalanta, suffered a knee injury and is expected to recover only by the end of the year. The young striker from Austria's Sturm Graz sustained an injury during the Champions League return leg against Bodø/Glimt and has not appeared on the pitch since.

Austria

🔗 The last encounter at the "Raiffeisen Arena" in Linz was not without its quirks. The match between Austria and Cyprus was interrupted due to a 15-centimeter deep hole that formed on the pitch during the game. The section of the field collapsed towards the end of the match. Austria's goalkeeper Alexander Schlager noticed the hole near his penalty area and pointed it out to the referee, Jakob Kehlet. Stadium staff were urgently called in—they hurriedly brought buckets of soil from behind the goal to fill the hole. The incident was resolved in approximately 7 minutes.

❌ Austria face significant defensive setbacks, with Maximilian Wöber, Marco Friedl (both from Wolfsburg), and Gernot Trauner (Feyenoord) missing national team matches due to injuries of varying severity. On a positive note, Real Madrid defender David Alaba has returned to the field. Although he hasn't yet appeared in club matches this season following a knee injury, he did play 70 minutes against Cyprus.

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

The match will be officiated by Spanish referee Jesus Gil Manzano. Over his last 20 World Cup qualification matches, he has averaged 4 yellow cards per game. This is the same average for both national teams in their recent encounters against less formidable opponents like San Marino and Cyprus. This could be due to the lack of experienced defenders on both sides, who might otherwise manage the game's intensity with strategic fouls. We anticipate a similar scenario in Zenica, with over 3.5 yellow cards expected.

⚽️ Goal Prediction

Both teams feature relatively veteran attacking lines. Austria's main forwards average 33.5 years of age, while Bosnia's are slightly younger at 29 years. However, head coach Sergej Barbarez frequently rotates his forward group, with three players accumulating over 100 minutes each. Yet, Bosnia's primary striker remains the 39-year-old Edin Dzeko. We believe that age and extensive experience at the top European level will be a factor in finishing chances. Our prediction: both teams to score (yes).

🚩 Corner Kick Prediction

Both squads boast towering figures in their attacking lines: Edin Dzeko (193 cm) for Bosnia and two giants for Austria—Marko Arnautovic (192 cm) and Michael Gregoritsch (193 cm). It would be unwise not to exploit this aerial advantage, which both teams did in their opening matches against less skilled opponents, overwhelming them in corner kicks. Notably, in their two previous head-to-head encounters, there were 11 corners each time. The odds suggest betting with a slight cushion. We foresee that collectively, the teams will achieve over 9.5 total corners.

Continuing the discussion on veteran forwards in both national teams, it's worth noting that their presence, beyond finishing, is likely to impact the pace of the game. These seasoned strikers undoubtedly need just one chance to decide the outcome, but maintaining a high tempo becomes increasingly challenging with each passing year. Excluding matches against San Marino, one can observe how the goal difference changes for the upcoming opponents.

We anticipate a highly competitive clash ahead, though it may not be filled with numerous chances. A fair outcome for this encounter seems to be a 1-1 draw. Both teams are appealing, not only because of their players but also due to their style of play. However, when teams with similar tempo and style meet, goal-scoring tends to dip. Editorial choice: total goals under 2.5.