Lewandowski’s experience against Džeko’s final cycle: Poland vs Bosnia and Herzegovina prediction
The opening-round fixture of the 2026/27 UEFA Nations League between Poland and Bosnia and Herzegovina will take place on September 25 at PGE Narodowy in Warsaw. Poland begins the new campaign in League B after relegation from the top tier, while the visitors head into the match on an emotional high following their successful 2026 World Cup campaign.
Poland: the World Cup qualifying disappointment must be forgotten
Poland failed to qualify for the World Cup after a 3-2 playoff defeat by Sweden in a dramatic match in which they came from behind twice. The loss ended a seven-match unbeaten run that included five wins and two draws.
After that, Jan Urban’s side lost 2-0 to Ukraine and drew 2-2 with Nigeria. Poland also endured a disastrous previous Nations League campaign, collecting just four points from six League A matches, so a home opener against Bosnia and Herzegovina should be an opportunity to quickly restore confidence.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: positive momentum after the World Cup and Džeko’s final matches
Bosnia and Herzegovina enjoyed one of the best international cycles in their history, reaching the World Cup playoffs for the first time. Sergej Barbarez’s team will look to carry that momentum into the Nations League and continue preparing for the Euro 2028 qualifiers.
Much of the attention is on Edin Džeko, who announced that he will retire from international football after the match against Sweden on October 2. The captain has made 151 appearances and scored 73 goals for his national team, and against Poland he is expected to lead the line alongside Ermedin Demirović once again.
Match facts
- Poland have not won in three consecutive matches since their playoff defeat by Sweden.
- Bosnia and Herzegovina have reached the World Cup playoffs for the first time in their history.
- Edin Džeko will retire from international football after the match against Sweden on October 2.
The sides look too evenly matched: Poland vs Bosnia and Herzegovina prediction
Poland have home advantage and still possess Robert Lewandowski, who remains their main source of danger in the box. However, the team’s recent results show that they are still lacking consistency after the painful exit from World Cup qualifying.
Bosnia and Herzegovina have not been particularly convincing away from home, but the emotional boost following a successful World Cup campaign and the motivation surrounding Džeko’s impending retirement could help the visitors put up an equal fight. A meeting between two fairly evenly matched teams could end without a winner.
