Last Updated on September 15, 2026 by Helena
Arif Kovac is a Bosnian-American professional footballer who plays as a center-forward for Atlanta United 2 and has already appeared for Atlanta United’s Major League Soccer first team. Born on September 8, 2006, in St. Louis, Missouri, Kovac grew up in the United States but comes from a family with strong roots in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
His father is Miralem Kovac, who was born in Sarajevo and grew up in Kiseljak, while Arif’s mother comes from Banja Luka. His parents met in the United States after the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Their background has strongly influenced Arif, who has repeatedly expressed a desire to represent Bosnia and Herzegovina internationally.
While information about his father and parents’ Bosnian origins is well documented, Kovac keeps other parts of his family life private. His mother’s name and any brothers or sisters have not been reliably identified, and there is no confirmed public information about a girlfriend or children.
Who Is Arif Kovac’s Girlfriend?
As of now, Arif Kovac has not publicly confirmed having a girlfriend.
Reliable profiles of the Atlanta United forward focus heavily on his football career, Bosnian heritage, parents and international ambitions, but none identifies a romantic partner.
Kovac appears to keep his relationships outside the public spotlight. For that reason, social-media photographs or interactions should not be treated as evidence that he is dating someone unless Kovac himself or a reliable source confirms the relationship.
Is Arif Kovac Married?
There is no reliable public information indicating that Arif Kovac is married.
The young forward turned 20 in September 2026 and remains at the beginning of his professional career. Public interviews surrounding his rapid rise with Atlanta United 2 do not mention a wife or marriage.
Does Arif Kovac Have Children?
As of now, there is no reliable public confirmation that Arif Kovac has children.
Neither Atlanta United nor established Bosnian football publications identify Kovac as a father.
Who Are Arif Kovac’s Parents?
Arif Kovac was born to Bosnian parents who settled in the United States. His father is named Miralem Kovac, while his mother’s name has not been reliably published.
Bosnian reporting provides unusually specific information about where both sides of his family originate. Miralem was born in Sarajevo and grew up in Kiseljak, while Arif’s mother is from Banja Luka.
The couple met in the United States after the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina and eventually established their family in the St. Louis area, where Arif was born.
Who Is Arif Kovac’s Father, Miralem Kovac?
Miralem Kovac is Arif Kovac’s father and one of the most publicly documented members of his family.
Miralem was born in Sarajevo but spent his formative years in Kiseljak. He later moved to the United States, where he met the woman who would become Arif’s mother.
Football appears to be something father and son discuss regularly. Reports about Arif’s rise have quoted or referenced Miralem when comparing his son’s playing characteristics with other Bosnian forwards.
Miralem has reportedly compared Arif’s game to former Bosnia and Herzegovina striker Vedad Ibišević, another forward with deep connections to both Bosnia and American football.
Arif Kovac’s Father Supports Bosnia and Herzegovina
Miralem’s connection to Bosnia and Herzegovina has clearly been passed down to his son.
Arif has spoken emotionally about watching the Bosnia and Herzegovina national team with his family. During an interview discussing his ambition to play international football, he explained that one of the hardest things is seeing how deeply disappointing results affect his father.
Kovac has made clear that representing Bosnia and Herzegovina would carry strong emotional significance because of his parents and family heritage.
Who Is Arif Kovac’s Mother?
Arif Kovac’s mother comes from Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina, but her name has not been reliably disclosed by established sports sources.
Bosnian reports consistently state that both of Arif’s parents originate from Bosnia and Herzegovina and that his mother is specifically from Banja Luka.
She subsequently moved to the United States, where she met Miralem after the Bosnian war.
Because she remains a private individual, information about her profession, age and wider family should not be inferred from social-media accounts or unrelated people with the Kovac surname.
How Did Arif Kovac’s Parents Meet?
Arif’s parents reportedly met in the United States after the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
His father had roots in Sarajevo and Kiseljak, while his mother came from Banja Luka. Their lives eventually converged in America, where they raised Arif.
This makes Kovac part of a large Bosnian-American community whose families established new lives in the United States following the conflicts of the 1990s.
Arif Kovac’s Bosnian Heritage
Although Kovac was born and raised in the United States, his connection with Bosnia and Herzegovina is particularly strong.
He holds United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina citizenship, according to Atlanta United.
Kovac has also spoken publicly about wanting to represent Bosnia internationally rather than treating his Bosnian background merely as a matter of ancestry.
His parents’ origins mean he grew up with direct family ties to different parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina: Sarajevo and Kiseljak through his father and Banja Luka through his mother.
Does Arif Kovac Have Siblings?
As of now, reliable public sources have not confirmed whether Arif Kovac has brothers or sisters.
The Bosnian articles that provide detailed information about his father and mother do not identify siblings.
This does not necessarily mean that Kovac is an only child. It simply means that no brother or sister can currently be confirmed through a sufficiently reliable source.
Arif Kovac’s Childhood in St. Louis
Kovac was born in St. Louis, Missouri, on September 8, 2006.
The city has a strong football tradition as well as a sizeable Bosnian-American population, making it a natural environment for a young player with Kovac’s background to develop.
He became involved in organized soccer at approximately five years old. By the age of six or seven, Kovac has said that football had already started becoming considerably more serious for him.
His Family Saw Football Become Serious at a Young Age
Kovac’s football development accelerated quickly during childhood.
He trained in the St. Louis area and eventually became part of prominent local youth programs, including St. Louis Scott Gallagher.
Growing up in a Bosnian-American family also meant that European football remained an important influence. Kovac has named players such as Zlatan Ibrahimović and Erling Haaland among forwards he admired.
At approximately 1.98 meters tall, Kovac ultimately developed into the type of physically imposing center-forward often associated with those inspirations.
How Arif Kovac’s Father Views His Playing Style
While Kovac has mentioned internationally famous strikers as inspirations, his father has reportedly made a more specifically Bosnian comparison.
Miralem has compared his son with Vedad Ibišević, the former Bosnia and Herzegovina striker who also spent part of his youth career in the United States before succeeding in European football.
The comparison is particularly meaningful because Ibišević became a major figure for Bosnia and Herzegovina and scored the goal that secured the country’s first FIFA World Cup qualification in 2013.
For a young Bosnian-American forward hoping to represent the same national team, the parallel provides an understandable source of inspiration.
Why Arif Kovac Wants to Represent Bosnia and Herzegovina
Kovac is eligible internationally through both his birthplace and his family.
However, he has publicly expressed a particularly strong desire to represent Bosnia and Herzegovina.
He has said that Bosnia comes first for him and has already attracted attention from people around the country’s football setup.
Kovac has expressed hopes of initially receiving an opportunity with Bosnia’s U-21 national team before eventually progressing toward the senior side.
His father and mother’s backgrounds make that ambition a highly personal family goal as well as a sporting one.
Arif Kovac’s Dream of Playing for FK Sarajevo
Kovac’s family heritage also influences his club ambitions.
Although he has spoken about eventually wanting to reach the highest levels of European football, he has also mentioned an interest in wearing the shirt of FK Sarajevo at some stage of his career.
The connection is particularly understandable because his father was born in Sarajevo.
Kovac has nevertheless made clear that his immediate priority is continuing his development and earning opportunities at increasingly high levels.
Arif Kovac’s Path to Atlanta United
After developing in St. Louis, Kovac eventually entered Atlanta United’s system.
He signed with Atlanta United 2 ahead of the 2025 season. His first campaign provided limited opportunities, but he still scored his first professional goal.
The following season transformed his career.
Kovac became one of MLS NEXT Pro’s most prolific forwards and forced himself into consideration for Atlanta United’s MLS first team.
Arif Kovac’s Historic Five-Goal Performance
On May 16, 2026, Kovac produced one of the most remarkable individual performances in MLS NEXT Pro history.
He scored five goals and added an assist as Atlanta United 2 defeated Huntsville City FC 6-2.
MLS NEXT Pro confirmed that his five goals established a league record for the most goals by one player in a single match. His six combined goal contributions were also a single-match league record.
The performance dramatically increased attention around the 6-foot-5 striker both in the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Arif Kovac’s Record-Breaking 2026 Season
Kovac continued scoring after the five-goal game.
By late August 2026, he had reached 18 goals for Atlanta United 2, setting a new club record for goals in a single season.
His performances placed him among the leading players in the MLS NEXT Pro Golden Boot race and made him one of the most productive young strikers in American developmental football.
The run also generated increasing coverage in Bosnia because of his international eligibility.
Arif Kovac Makes His MLS Debut
Atlanta United rewarded Kovac’s form by signing him to a Short-Term Agreement in July 2026.
He subsequently made his Major League Soccer debut during the 2026 season, giving him his first experience of first-team league football.
Atlanta later signed Kovac to another Short-Term Agreement in August as he continued training and appearing around the senior squad.
His progression from youth football in St. Louis to MLS came while he was still only 19 years old.
Arif Kovac’s Dual Citizenship
Atlanta United officially lists Kovac as a citizen of both the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
His American citizenship comes naturally from being born in Missouri, while his Bosnian citizenship reflects his family background.
The dual nationality gives him an international choice, although his public comments have strongly emphasized his desire to play for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
How Family Influences Arif Kovac’s International Ambition
Kovac’s international preference appears closely connected with his parents rather than being simply a football decision.
Both sides of his immediate family come from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and he grew up aware of those roots despite living in St. Louis.
His references to his father’s emotional reaction to Bosnia matches demonstrate how national-team football is part of the family’s identity.
A future Bosnia call-up would therefore represent an important milestone not only for Arif but also for Miralem and the rest of the Kovac family.
Frequently Asked Questions About Arif Kovac’s Family
Who is Arif Kovac’s girlfriend?
As of now, Arif Kovac has not publicly confirmed having a girlfriend. No reliable source identifies a current romantic partner.
Is Arif Kovac married?
There is no reliable public confirmation that Arif Kovac is married.
Does Arif Kovac have children?
There is no reliable public information indicating that Arif Kovac has children.
Who are Arif Kovac’s parents?
Kovac was born to Bosnian parents who met in the United States. His father is Miralem Kovac, while his mother’s name has not been reliably published.
Who is Arif Kovac’s father?
His father is Miralem Kovac. Miralem was born in Sarajevo and grew up in Kiseljak before eventually moving to the United States.
Who is Arif Kovac’s mother?
Arif’s mother is originally from Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Her name remains private in reliable public reporting.
Where did Arif Kovac’s parents meet?
His parents reportedly met in the United States after the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Does Arif Kovac have siblings?
No brothers or sisters have been reliably identified publicly as of now.
Is Arif Kovac Bosnian?
Yes. Kovac was born in the United States but holds both American and Bosnian citizenship. Both of his parents come from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Where is Arif Kovac’s father from?
Miralem Kovac was born in Sarajevo and grew up in Kiseljak.
Where is Arif Kovac’s mother from?
His mother is from Banja Luka.
Where was Arif Kovac born?
Arif Kovac was born in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, on September 8, 2006.
How old is Arif Kovac?
Arif Kovac turned 20 years old on September 8, 2026.
Which national team does Arif Kovac want to represent?
Kovac has publicly expressed a strong desire to represent Bosnia and Herzegovina, initially hoping for an opportunity at U-21 level and eventually with the senior national team.
Helena Lena Jessica Da Laila is a football writer covering Spanish women’s football, with a focus on Liga F, tactical trends, and emerging talents shaping the women’s game in Spain.
