Three Merlin Concerts Destroyed the Koševo Pitch
The grass at the Asim Ferhatović Hase Stadium suffered severe damage after a musical marathon, raising alarm at FK Sarajevo just days before a potential European appearance.
The grass at the Asim Ferhatović Hase Stadium suffered severe damage after a musical marathon, raising alarm at FK Sarajevo just days before a potential European appearance.
The green carpet of Sarajevo's iconic stadium, "Asim Ferhatović Hase" in Koševo, has suffered significant damage after hosting tens of thousands of Dino Merlin fans for three consecutive nights. The concerts, held on July 31 and August 1 and 2, 2026, left a deep mark on the pitch, as captured by photographer Armin Durgut and reported by the portal 24sata.
Even before the concert trilogy was announced, there was discontent within the football club Sarajevo. There was a real fear that the damaged surface would not meet UEFA's strict standards for hosting European matches. During that period, Sarajevo was in contention for a spot in the Conference League, and the possibility of having to play home matches at another venue caused great concern.
Three sold-out Dino Merlin concerts at Koševo marked the summer music scene in Bosnia and Herzegovina, demonstrating that Sarajevo has the capacity and audience for the biggest regional and world spectacles, as reported by N1 BiH. The top-notch stage design, production, and the arrival of tens of thousands of people from the country and abroad brought significant cultural and tourist importance to the city.
However, at the same time, serious organizational challenges emerged. Problems with audience entry on the first evening sparked a debate about the readiness of the existing infrastructure to host events of such scale. N1 BiH raises the question of what Merlin's concerts revealed about Sarajevo's capabilities, as well as the need for modern concert venues.
While the Koševo pitch was suffering the consequences of the musical spectacle, Sarajevo was simultaneously hosting the 20th International Summer School, which brought together promising young lawyers and researchers from around the world, including participants from Serbia, Germany, and Argentina. In the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, participants gained knowledge on international criminal law, transitional justice processes, and the protection of fundamental human rights.
