Poland hosts Bosnia and Herzegovina in Warsaw to open Nations League campaign

Warsaw opener kicks off four-game Nations League stretch

Poland will open their UEFA Nations League B campaign on Friday night against Bosnia and Herzegovina at the PGE Narodowy in Warsaw, with kickoff scheduled for 20:45. The match begins an autumn window under head coach Jan Urban, who oversees a sequence of four international fixtures within eleven days. Poland enter the fixture seeking their first victory in five matches following a four-game winless run. That drought began in March 2026 when an 88th-minute goal condemned the team to a 2-3 World Cup playoff defeat against Sweden, ending a seven-game unbeaten streak that had included five victories and two draws against the Netherlands. Subsequent friendlies brought a 0-2 loss to Ukraine and a 2-2 draw with Nigeria, leaving Urban's squad determined to reset their form in front of approximately 50,000 home supporters.

Roster adjustments and Urban's tactical selections

To comply with UEFA regulations limiting matchday squads to 23 players, Urban trimmed defender Wojciech Mońka and midfielder Norbert Wojtuszek from the final roster. With Mońka waiting for his senior debut and Wojtuszek stepping aside after recording an assist against Nigeria, Urban will rely on an experienced core for the opener. Marcin Bułka of NEOM SC is expected to start in goal following a series of squad injuries, behind a defensive group featuring Jan Bednarek, Jakub Kiwior, and Matty Cash. In attack, captain Robert Lewandowski from Chicago Fire may partner Widzew Łódź forward Karol Świderski, supported by creators Nicola Zalewski, Sebastian Szymański, and Piotr Zieliński. Midfielder Przemysław Frankowski also returns to the national squad after missing time since October 2025 due to injury.

It is clear that due to my injuries last year I was outside the squad. I am the same Frankowski. If the coach needs me, I will give my maximum.

Bosnian momentum and Džeko's farewell run

Bosnia and Herzegovina arrive in Warsaw under head coach Sergej Barbarez following a World Cup campaign where they defeated Italy and reached the round of 16 for the first time in their history. The fixture forms part of the final international cycle for captain and record goalscorer Edin Džeko, who has scheduled his national team retirement after an encounter with Sweden on 2 October. Despite their recent tournament run, Barbarez's side has struggled away from home, winning only one of their previous six away fixtures. Bosnian defender Tarik Muharemović, who transferred to Leeds United after facing Inter Milan midfielder Zieliński in Serie A with Sassuolo, praised Poland's midfield leader prior to kickoff.

We all know who Lewandowski is and what he is capable of. I also know the midfield line particularly well. Zieliński from Inter is a great player. I follow Serie A, and last year I played there too. At this moment he is definitely their best player.

Physical expectations and federation context

Former Bosnian international Bojan Nastić, who previously played in Poland for Jagiellonia Białystok and Wisła Płock, described the upcoming match as a close and physical contest. Nastić argued that Bosnia hold a slight psychological advantage stemming from their tournament momentum, while acknowledging the disadvantage of facing a Polish crowd in Warsaw.

Two teams will face each other that like physical play and are characterized by such play. In my opinion, not many goals will be scored. The result will be tight either way, but I will repeat what I said earlier: the national team of Bosnia and Herzegovina will be a slight favourite.

The match also unfolds during administrative scrutiny within the Polish Football Association, where president Cezary Kulesza faces internal friction over recorded audio involving general secretary Łukasz Wachowski. Following Friday's fixture, Poland will travel to Solna to face Sweden, host Romania, and conclude the cycle on 5 October in Zenica against Bosnia.