The United States defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in a World Cup round of 32 match on 1 July 2026, a result that stirred mixed emotions among St Louis’s large Bosnian community. The city is home to about 70,000 Bosnians, the largest diaspora community outside their homeland, many of whom fled the Bosnian war in the 1990s.
Community Celebrates Both Teams
Nearly 2,000 people gathered at Bevo Caffe Lounge in St Louis to watch the match, braving temperatures estimated at 130 degrees on the packed patio. Mersad Smajic, the restaurant owner and a real estate investor who has lived in St Louis since 1997, said the event felt like a celebration rather than a rivalry. “It’s going to feel like a big celebration more than a rivalry,” Elvir Kafedžić, a Bosnian former professional soccer player and assistant coach for St Louis City 2, said before the match. “Families will be split, jerseys will be mixed, but regardless of the result, there will be pride in seeing Bosnia compete at this stage of the World Cup, but also at the same time a huge appreciation for the US, the country that has become home.”
Bosnian Diaspora in St Louis
During the Bosnian war from 1992 to 1995, more than 100,000 people died, including a genocide of about 8,000 Muslim boys and men, and over 2 million people were forcibly displaced. Bosnians were allowed to emigrate to the US as refugees, and St Louis became a preferred destination due to available jobs and inexpensive housing, according to Saint Louis University. Most settled in Bevo Mill, a historic German neighborhood known as “Little Bosnia,” which now features numerous Bosnian restaurants, including Balkan Treat Box, whose chef recently won a James Beard Award.
The community’s passion for soccer is evident. Kafedžić, who fled Bosnia in 1993 and never saw his father again after his mother discovered his belongings at a mass grave, continued playing soccer in St Louis. The US men’s team captain, Tim Ream, is a St Louis native, and the city ranks among the top 10 US cities for World Cup viewership.
Mixed Emotions After US Victory
Samira Nukic, 28, born to Bosnian parents in Germany and raised in St Louis, traveled to Los Angeles to see Bosnia play Switzerland, losing 4-1. “I definitely lost my voice just cheering for my team,” said Nukic, who manages her family’s restaurant Berix. “Just carrying that Bosnian pride with me, being so proud of our little country in the World Cup, it was something unlike anything else.”
After the US win, Smajic expressed a bittersweet sentiment: “We are a little sad, but we are happy that United States is going through, and we are going to beat Belgium on Monday.” The US will next face Belgium in the tournament.
