Dragons Arrive in St. Louis: A Big Deal for the Largest BiH Diaspora Outside Europe

(Patria) - The Bosnia and Herzegovina national football team will play a friendly match against Panama in St. Louis on June 6.

This duel of the Dragons comes as part of their final preparations for the World Cup and is already generating significant public interest.

It is a known fact that St. Louis is home to the largest Bosnian-Herzegovinian community outside of Europe.

And the fan group BH Loyals is already inundated with inquiries from fans around the world.

- We have received various messages, mostly from fans trying to get tickets. Everyone is very excited - says Admir Hodžić, one of the BH Loyals organizers.

Samija Halilović, who lives in the St. Louis area, is originally from Bosnia and Herzegovina and emphasizes how much this event means to the community.

- We are a country that has been through a lot, and people who have been through a lot, so we have a great sense of pride.

Many of our people were displaced, refugees, and immigrants, and now some of them are national team players, so we feel particularly connected to them, especially here in St. Louis - Halilović points out.

It is estimated that around 60,000 Bosnians and Herzegovinians live in St. Louis today, many of whom arrived during the 1990s as refugees.

- We have a player from Appleton, Wisconsin, who plays for BiH, and that has special value for many of us, because even though we have spent most of our lives in the USA, especially in St. Louis, we are still strongly connected to our roots - says Halilović.

Hodžić emphasizes that the fans' love and passion will create a special atmosphere in June, and it is also important that the national team is coming for a six-day training camp in St. Louis.

- This is a big event for St. Louis. It will be a great opportunity to showcase Bosnia and Herzegovina, our city, and the community here - adds Hodžić.

The match between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Panama will be played on Saturday, June 6, at "Energizer Park" stadium.

This duel comes just a few days before the start of the World Cup, which begins on June 11.