Bowling Green’s Bosnian community celebrates World Cup match
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — What began as a World Cup match between Bosnia and Canada quickly turned into a celebration of culture, heritage and community inside the Bowling Green Islamic Center.
Fans gathered to watch Bosnia take the global stage, erupting in cheers as the team scored its first goal. Inside the center, the energy was matched with flags waving, chants echoing through the room, and traditional Bosnian food being prepared and shared.
Among the dishes on display was cevapi, a traditional grilled meat dish that has become a staple at gatherings like this one.
For many in attendance, the match carried personal meaning tied to their history and journey to the United States.
“For me, it’s so important due to the fact that I was born during the war in Bosnia, and I kind of went through the struggle of our country and gaining independence,” said Adis Mujic, a Bowling Green resident. “That gives me a good reason to be so proud of this World Cup.”
Mujic said the global stage of the World Cup represents something larger than soccer for many Bosnians.
“This is like the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals,” he said. “Half of the population here probably doesn’t even know where Bosnia is on the map, so seeing us on that stage means everything.”
The gathering also reflected how deeply rooted the Bosnian community has become in Bowling Green, where thousands of Bosnians now live and work while maintaining strong ties to their heritage.
Amira Zukic, a board member at the Islamic Center, said events like the watch party help bridge those two identities.
“We would like to stay part of America, but we also want to stay in our culture as much as possible and show our kids what Bosnia is like,” Zukic said. “Watching the games and everything connects us back to Bosnia.”
Zukic said Bosnia’s qualification for the World Cup — its first since 2014 — made the moment even more meaningful for families watching together in Kentucky.
“World Cup is a huge thing in Europe,” she said. “A lot of Bosnians came to the U.S. after the war, and Bowling Green has a large community. It feels like part of us is coming back when we gather like this.”
The sense of connection extended beyond Bowling Green.
A Warren County Sheriff’s Office detective who is part of the local Bosnian community was also at the match in Canada and sent video back to Kentucky, even giving a shoutout to Bowling Green during the international broadcast.
Inside the Islamic Center, children proudly showed off their Bosnian flags and jerseys as families celebrated together, turning the watch party into a multigenerational cultural event.
For many, the World Cup is about more than competition.
“It’s really hard to explain how big soccer is for us,” Zukic said. “It’s everything. We still follow other sports, but soccer is on another level.”
As Bosnia continues its World Cup journey, the celebration in Bowling Green is a reminder of how global moments can feel deeply local — bringing together a community thousands of miles from home, yet still closely connected to it.
