The first of three sold-out Dino Merlin concerts at Sarajevo's Koševo Stadium was marked by a spectacular atmosphere and serious organizational failures that left a large number of people unable to enter the stadium.
Dino Merlin's long-awaited return to Koševo Stadium after an 11-year hiatus was overshadowed by serious organizational problems. Although an emotional atmosphere prevailed inside the stadium, with tens of thousands of voices singing his hits in unison, hundreds of fans with purchased tickets were left outside the gates.
As reported by Tportal, citing a Fokus.ba reporter, angry fans expressed their dissatisfaction with loud chants of "Dino, thief!" and whistles. Among those left outside the stadium were people who had traveled from various regions to attend the concert.
Sources differ in their estimates of the number of people who failed to get in. Tportal cites "hundreds of fans," while N1 BiH reports a "large number" of people. It is currently unclear how this failure occurred, but there are speculations that scalpers produced duplicate tickets, leading to unprecedented disappointment.
The concert started late. According to Klix.ba, Dino Merlin took the stage after 9 PM, while Tportal reports the spectacle began at 9:15 PM. He opened with the song "Da šutiš," and the audience sang along in chorus. Hits followed, including "Kad si rekla da me voliš," "Sve je laž," "Je l' Sarajevo gdje je nekad bilo," and many others from a career spanning more than 40 years.
"Welcome, dear friends. What a night, what a sight. Is this my youth, is this my sevdah," Merlin addressed the audience, as reported by N1 BiH, before singing the song "Mi."
He was joined on stage by guests. He performed the duet "Dođi" with Senidah, which Koševo sang in one voice, writes Klix.ba. Ivana Banfić, who has lived outside the region for many years, appeared to sing the hit "Godinama" with Merlin, evoking nostalgia among tens of thousands of attendees. The performance of "Furaj mali" with Mahir Sarihodžić brought particularly emotional moments.
A tribute to Halid Bešlić was also planned, featuring an impressive drone show above the stadium.
At the end of the concert, Merlin emotionally addressed the crowd: "Thank you for an incredible night. I enjoyed every moment. Emotions got the better of me a bit, but that's how it is when you're in your own city. I don't have answers to all the questions, to what's happening in the world and around us, but each of us has access to a light. Keep that light for our children and grandchildren who are coming. Let the wish for peace for all good people of this world go out from Sarajevo tonight. Long live youth!" Klix.ba quotes.
This was just the first of three planned performances. According to organizers' estimates, as reported by N1 BiH, all three concerts together will attract around 200,000 attendees. Merlin will also perform at Koševo on Saturday, August 1, and Sunday, August 2, 2026.
