A controversy has broken out ahead of the crucial World Cup 2026 qualifying match between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Italy.
According to İdman.Biz, Bosnian media published a photo showing a man in military camouflage filming a training session on his phone even after the open part for the press had ended. The images quickly led to accusations of spying directed at the Italian side.
It was later revealed that the individual was an Italian soldier serving with EUFOR Althea, the European Union’s peacekeeping mission in Bosnia. The EUFOR base is located close to the training ground in Butmir, where the incident took place.
Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport, citing sources within the defence sector, reported that the soldier was not spying but had simply stopped to watch the training session. Despite this explanation, the situation has drawn significant attention.
Authorities in Bosnia are expected to file an official complaint with EUFOR, as tensions rise ahead of the match.
The Bosnia and Herzegovina vs Italy fixture is scheduled to take place today in Zenica, with kick-off set for 21:45 MSK.
