Italy accused of spying on Bosnia ahead of World Cup 2026 play-off match

Ahead of the decisive World Cup 2026 play-off final between Bosnia & Herzegovina and Italy, an incident occurred where a man in an Italian military uniform was filmed recording the Bosnian team's training session on March 30th. Bosnia & Herzegovina filed a complaint with EUFOR, the European Union mission, while Italy denied any connection, claiming the individual was merely a curious soldier near the EUFOR command base.

Key points

• The incident took place at the Butmir training ground on the afternoon of March 30th, involving a man wearing an Italian military jacket with an Italian insignia.
• Bosnia & Herzegovina identified the suspect as belonging to the EUFOR forces and lodged a complaint with the EU mission.
• Italy's side, citing the Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport, asserted the suspect was not a spy for the Italian team but a soldier coincidentally observing the practice.
• The match is the final of European play-off bracket A for a spot in the World Cup 2026 finals in the US, Canada, and Mexico.
• Italy previously won the World Cup four times but has missed the last two tournaments after losing play-offs to Sweden and North Macedonia.

Why it matters

This alleged espionage attempt has added tension to the high-stakes World Cup 2026 play-off match between Italy and Bosnia & Herzegovina, which will determine one of the final European qualifiers.