World Cup 2026: Why Bosnia and Herzegovina's national anthem has no lyrics

As Bosnia and Herzegovina faces Switzerland in the second round of Group B at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday, attentive spectators may notice something unusual: the country's national anthem is played without any official lyrics.

Since 1999, Bosnia and Herzegovina has used an instrumental melody known as "Intermeco" as its national anthem, but no text has ever been officially adopted to accompany it. This makes the Balkan nation one of only a handful of countries worldwide — including Kosovo, San Marino, and Spain — whose anthem is performed without words, even at international sporting events.

The reason lies in the deep political and ethnic divisions that followed the Bosnian War of the 1990s. The country's population is primarily composed of three main groups: Bosniaks (Muslims), Serbs (Orthodox Christians), and Croats (Catholics). After the war, various proposed lyrics were presented to parliament, but none gained sufficient support from representatives of all three communities. Any reference to a single national identity tends to face resistance, as many citizens identify primarily with their ethnic background.

The previous anthem, adopted in 1992, was rejected by the Croatian and Serbian populations. The adoption of "Intermeco" without lyrics was intended as a compromise to unify the nation, though in practice many Bosniaks remain attached to the old anthem and sing it as a form of counterpoint to the current instrumental version.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is playing in its second World Cup. Group B remains highly competitive after the first round, with all teams tied on one point. A victory on Thursday could put the team in a strong position heading into the final match of the group stage. Bosnia will then face Qatar on June 24 at Seattle Field.