Switzerland vs Bosnia and Herzegovina: prediction & betting odds 18 June 2026

Form and Line-up Switzerland

In the first round of the group stage, Switzerland faced Qatar, and it seemed hard to imagine what could go wrong. However, even against such opposition, the team managed to fall flat. Still, if we talk only about the quality of the performance, they looked excellent: 3.20 xG, 26 shots and 68% possession.

Embolo was outstanding as the focal point of the attack, constantly taking part in the build-up and making runs behind the defenders into the penalty area. However, that did not hide the main problem. Switzerland are excellent when they have space, but they struggle against a low block. Crosses do not work, and technical wingers cannot beat two or three defenders at once.

Key numbers for Switzerland:

• Just one win in five matches in 2026.

• Conceded in four of their last five matches.

• Lost their only head-to-head match against Bosnia and Herzegovina 0:2.

Probable Switzerland line-up (4-3-3): Gregor Kobel - Denis Zakaria, Nico Elvedi, Manuel Akanji, Ricardo Rodriguez - Remo Freuler, Granit Xhaka, Michel Aebischer - Ruben Vargas, Dan Ndoye, Breel Embolo.

Form and Line-up Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina were handed Canada - one of the tournament hosts - as their opponents in the opening match. In this game, we saw exactly what we expected from Sergej Barbarez's team. From the first minutes, the team parked the bus and patiently waited for a counter-attacking chance. Yes, there was no real creativity in attack - they often went straight to crosses - but it must be said that this worked brilliantly. Six of the 10 deliveries found their target.

The team's defenders also deserve plenty of praise. Young Muharemovic became an impassable barrier, making 21 clearances and winning six of seven aerial duels. Sead Kolasinac was also a real monster. Many had forgotten about him after his departure from Arsenal, but he was magnificent. Not only did he shut down Buchanan and lock up the left flank, he also provided the assist for Lukic.

Key numbers for Bosnia and Herzegovina:

• Have not conceded more than one goal in eight consecutive matches.

• Scored one goal in five of their last six matches.

• Have never reached the World Cup knockout stage in their history.

Probable Bosnia and Herzegovina line-up (4-4-2): Nikola Vasilj - Amar Dedic, Nikola Katic, Tarik Muharemovic, Sead Kolasinac - Esmir Bajraktarevic, Benjamin Tahirovic, Ivan Basic, Amar Memic - Jovo Lukic, Ermedin Demirovic.

Absentees: Nidal Celik (injury).

Who will referee the match

João Pinheiro (Portugal)

Matches – 24 (international matches, 2025-2026);
Average fouls per match – 22;
Average yellow cards per match (including second yellows) – 3.2;
Matches with a red card – 4 out of 24;
Matches with a penalty – 7 out of 24.