The third evening of the Koševo trilogy
Dino Merlin will perform at the Olympic Stadium "Asim Ferhatović - Hase" in Sarajevo on Sunday, August 2, 2026, at 8:30 p.m. This date is the third consecutive evening of his return to Koševo, following the concerts on July 31 and August 1. It is therefore not merely another stop on the tour, but the finale of a three-day stadium series in the city where the performer was born, grew up and wrote a large number of the songs that have defined his career.
The first announced concert on July 31 was presented as his fifth Koševo performance, eleven years after the 2015 show. The addition of two more dates demonstrates the level of audience interest, and August 2 becomes the third and final evening of the series. Ahead of the concerts, it was announced that the seated places for all three dates had sold out and that a limited number of places with a partially obstructed view of the stage had subsequently been released.
Tickets for this event are in demand. Visitors choosing the stands should carefully check the sector designation and the visibility notice, because the experience at a large stadium differs considerably between the floor, the side stands and the upper rows.
Dino Merlin between the new album and songs the audience has known for decades
Dino Merlin is a singer-songwriter whose style ranges between pop, pop rock, ballad-oriented expression and elements of the musical tradition of Bosnia and Herzegovina. His songs often combine a clear melody, narrative lyrics and choruses intended for collective singing. He began his career with the group Merlin, and since 1991 he has performed under the name Dino Merlin. His songwriting catalogue now includes more than 200 songs and 12 studio albums.
The Koševo concerts come during the current phase of the "We" tour, connected to the album of the same name released in 2025. The album was created over several years and brings together songs about love, transience, belonging and relationships that change over time. It is important to concert visitors because it provides a contemporary framework for the performance: this is not exclusively a retrospective of the greatest hits, but a presentation of a new chapter alongside a selection from the older repertoire.
- "We" is Dino Merlin's 12th studio album.
- The deluxe edition contains 18 songs, including 11 new tracks and 7 previously released singles.
- The album was preceded by the songs "We", "Come", "One Day, One Night", "Wrong Cards", "How Can I Tell You", "Winter Will Be Here Soon" and "We Are Not Rejoicing".
- Each song received a separate visual interpretation, connected into a 48-minute musical film.
Immediately before the Koševo concerts, the new song "Because of You" was also released. It was recorded with an emphasis on analogue sound and live instruments, accompanied by the BHRT Music Production Orchestra, while the music video was filmed on 16-millimetre film stock. It was announced that the audience at the three evenings at Koševo would be the first to hear the song live. For now, this is the most specific confirmed repertoire information for this series of concerts.
What to expect from the live repertoire
The complete set list for August 2 has not been published, so it would not be justified to promise particular songs, the duration of the performance or guests in advance. Nevertheless, the scope of the career provides a clear framework. Dino Merlin has a catalogue that includes stadium choruses, slower ballads and more rhythmic songs, so his concerts naturally move from more intimate moments to mass audience singing.
Among the titles that have strongly marked his body of work are "Through the Middle", "When You Said You Loved Me", "If Sorrow Were Snow", "Everything Is a Lie", "Bosnia Blossomed with Spring Flowers", "When the Lilacs Become Fragrant", "For Years", "Ten Years Younger", "National Hotel" and "Love in Rewind". Listing them is not an announcement of the set list, but a guide for visitors who want to understand the range of songs with which the performer has built an audience across different generations.
The experience of the previous Koševo performance shows how effectively such a catalogue can work in a stadium. Reports from the 2015 concert mention approximately three hours of music and mass audience singing, from the then-current songs from the album "National Hotel" to older hits. After that performance, the organiser announced a figure of 62,017 tickets sold. These figures do not determine the duration or attendance of the 2026 concert, but they explain why returning to the same venue carries special significance.
No supporting acts, guests or separate performances by other artists have been confirmed for the evening of August 2. The same applies to the duration of the programme and any possible breaks. It is therefore most useful for visitors to plan for the entire evening without relying on an assumed finishing time.
Koševo as a concert stage
The Olympic Stadium "Asim Ferhatović - Hase", often simply called Koševo, is the largest stadium in Bosnia and Herzegovina. FK Sarajevo states that it has a capacity of more than 34,000 seated places in its sporting configuration. A concert setup may include the pitch and a different sector arrangement, so the football capacity is not the same as the number of places available for a musical event.
The stadium was renovated for the 1984 Winter Olympic Games and was the venue for the opening ceremony. Its oval shape, athletics track and open sky create a typical stadium experience: an immense width of space, a strong visual overview from the upper stands and a greater distance from the stage for some seated sectors. On the floor, the feeling is more immediate, but the view depends on one's position among the audience. From the stands, it is easier to follow the production as a whole, while the side sectors may have a more limited view.
The acoustics of an open stadium cannot be compared with those of a concert hall. The sound depends on the sound system, the wind, the position of the stage and the distance of each sector. The advantage is scale: choruses sung by tens of thousands of people become an important part of the performance, especially with an artist whose songs the audience knows by heart.
It is worth securing tickets in good time, while also choosing the zone carefully. Visitors for whom proximity to the performer is important will be better suited to the floor, while those who want an overview of the stage, lighting and the entire stadium will probably appreciate an elevated place in the stands more.
Who will find the concert particularly appealing
This concert has several different audiences. For long-time fans, it offers a return to a venue associated with the tours "Through the Middle", "Burek", "From the Beginning" and "National Hotel". For the audience that discovered Dino Merlin through the album "We", it provides an opportunity to hear the new material in his largest concert format. For visitors who do not follow the entire discography but know the most popular choruses, a stadium evening may be the most accessible way to experience the breadth of his catalogue.
It is particularly appealing to groups of different ages. Part of the audience connects his songs with their own memories from the 1980s and 1990s, while younger listeners entered his music through more recent singles, digital platforms and the "We" tour. It is precisely this mixture that often changes the atmosphere from concentrated silence during the ballads to loud collective singing in the choruses.
The third evening may have additional emotional significance because it closes three consecutive concerts. This does not mean that unannounced guests or a different programme should be expected, but the context of the final night naturally heightens the sense of a finale.
Practical arrival guide
- Date: Sunday, August 2, 2026.
- Start: 8:30 p.m.
- Venue: Olympic Stadium "Asim Ferhatović - Hase", Sarajevo.
- Format: open-air concert, the ticket is valid for one day.
- Doors opening: the time has not been published in verified announcements.
- Supporting acts and guests: not confirmed.
The stadium is located in the Koševo neighbourhood, north of the inner city centre. The area can be reached by city buses, minibuses, taxi or a combination of tram and onward transport. GRAS's network includes tram, trolleybus, bus and minibus services, and trolleybus line 107 connects Dobrinja with Jezero, in the wider stadium area. The timetable and any changes due to the concert should be checked on the day of the event.
For the return journey after the concert, visitors should not rely on only one option. A large number of people will leave the stadium within a short period, so taxi waiting times and congestion on access roads are possible. An agreed meeting point outside the immediate entrance area may be useful for groups that become separated. GRAS also publishes night departures on part of the network, but the specific schedule for the concert evening should be confirmed immediately before arrival.
Arriving by car requires an additional time buffer. Sarajevo has a system of public parking zones, but the reviewed announcements do not specify a separate parking plan for the concert. Visitors should not count on finding a free space immediately beside the stadium. A more reasonable option is to park farther from Koševo and complete the final part of the journey by public transport, taxi or on foot, while observing any temporary traffic restrictions.
Arrival from other cities and countries
Sarajevo International Airport is approximately 12 kilometres from the city centre and is connected to the centre by bus. The main bus and railway stations are located in the wider central area, from where visitors can continue by public transport or taxi towards Koševo. Visitors arriving on the same day should allow enough time for checking into their accommodation, traffic congestion and entering the stadium.
For the concert weekend, it is useful to arrange accommodation in advance, especially when departure is planned for August 3. Sarajevo is a compact city, but three consecutive stadium concerts increase the pressure on transport and accommodation capacity. Staying in the centre, at Marijin Dvor or in parts of the city with good connections to Koševo can simplify arrival and the return journey.
Entry, visibility and weather
Because this is an outdoor event, the weather forecast is important when choosing clothing. A summer evening may be warm upon entry and cooler after the end. If rain is possible, a lightweight waterproof jacket is more practical than equipment that may be restricted by entry rules. A list of permitted and prohibited items was not found in the reviewed announcements, so it should be checked before departure.
It is sensible to arrive at the stadium early, regardless of the fact that the door-opening time has not yet been announced. Ticket checks and security screening may take time, while finding the correct entrance at a large venue requires additional time. Visitors with tickets for limited-visibility places should expect that part of the stage or production will not be fully visible.
It is advisable to save the ticket in advance, charge the phone and note the entrance, sector, row and seat designation. On the floor, a meeting point should be agreed upon because the mobile network may slow down when a large number of devices are active simultaneously.
How to organise the day in Sarajevo
The concert begins in the evening, so travelling visitors can spend the earlier part of the day in the historic centre, around Baščaršija, along the Miljacka riverbank or in the museums in the centre. Nevertheless, the Sunday schedule should be planned without too many distant locations. At least several hours before the start, it is useful to return towards the accommodation, change for the open-air stadium and set off towards Koševo before the largest wave of visitors.
Food and drink are better organised before entry, without making assumptions about the offer and payment methods inside the stadium. Visitors who have health requirements or need specific assistance should check the accessible entrance and the location of their sector in advance. Information about special entrances and services for this concert is not included in the reviewed announcements.
Ticket sales for this event are ongoing. When purchasing, it is more important to check the August 2 date, the sector and the visibility notice than to rely only on the name of the stand. The three consecutive evenings have separate tickets, and the ticket for this date is valid only for the final night of the Koševo trilogy.
Sources:
- Dino Merlin - information about the Koševo concerts, the album "We", the song "Because of You", the biography and the current tour.
- FK Sarajevo - capacity, history and sporting configuration of the "Asim Ferhatović - Hase" stadium.
- Visit Sarajevo and Sarajevo Navigator - the stadium's location, arrival in the city and the airport connection with the centre.
- GRAS Sarajevo - types of city transport, the Dobrinja - Jezero line and night services.
- Klix.ba - report and information about Dino Merlin's 2015 concert at Koševo.
- Railways of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina - current information about passenger railway traffic.