Qatar vs Switzerland Key Stats: FIFA World Cup 2026
by Trystan Pugh ·
Updated
Below you can find key stats for Qatar vs Switzerland. From historical trends to player milestones, we have you covered for every match at FIFA World Cup 2026 in USA, Canada & Mexico!
- This is the first FIFA World Cup match between Qatar and Switzerland. Their only previous encounter was a 1-0 victory for Qatar in a friendly in Lugano in November 2018.
- 2022 FIFA World Cup hosts Qatar created history by successfully progressing through Asian qualifying for the first time for their second consecutive appearance at the finals.
- The Qataris will be looking to improve on their debut campaign in 2022, which ended after the group stage, following defeats to Ecuador, Senegal and the Netherlands.
- Qatar’s qualification for FIFA World Cup 2026™️ was sealed with a 2-1 victory over the United Arab Emirates on 14 October 2025, a result that saw them finish top of Group A in the fourth round of AFC qualifying.
- Qatar are the reigning Asian champions having successfully defended their AFC Asian Cup title in February 2024, with Akram Afif scoring a hat-trick of penalties to fire the hosts to a 3-1 victory over Jordan in the tournament decider at Lusail Stadium.
- Qatar’s only previous FIFA World Cup match against European opposition was a 2-0 defeat by the Netherlands in their final group fixture at the 2022 finals.
- Qatar’s Spanish head coach Julen Lopetegui was an unused substitute when Spain defeated Switzerland 3-0 in Washington DC at the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
- Switzerland are making a sixth consecutive FIFA World Cup participation, which represents their longest run of successive appearances. Overall, they have graced the global showpiece on 12 previous occasions.
- Switzerland advanced through qualifying unbeaten for the 2026 finals, registering four wins and two draws from six matches, with 14 goals scored and only two conceded.
- Three-time quarter-finalists, the Swiss made it through to the last eight in 1934, 1938 and on their own patch in 1954. They have negotiated their way out of their group in five of their last six tournament campaigns but have tasted defeat in the round of 16 on each of those occasions.
- Switzerland suffered shoot-out agony against Ukraine in their last-16 showdown at the 2006 edition of the tournament after the sides had failed to trouble the scoreboard after 120 minutes of action, with the Swiss becoming the first team to exit a FIFA World Cup without conceding a goal – a record that still stands to this day.
- The 1954 FIFA World Cup quarter-final showdown between host nation Switzerland and Austria was a 12-goal thriller that remains the highest-scoring match in the tournament’s history. Despite racing into a 3-0 lead, the hosts were ultimately on the receiving end of a 7-5 defeat in a contest for the ages.
- Despite playing 41 FIFA World Cup matches before this fixture, Switzerland’s only encounter with an AFC team was a 2-0 win over Korea Republic in the 2006 group stage.
- Switzerland have lost only three of their last 15 FIFA World Cup group matches (W9 D5).
- Only three of Switzerland’s previous 41 FIFA World Cup matches finished 0-0.
- Switzerland have not lost their opening match in their last six FIFA World Cup appearances (W3 D3), since a 5-0 defeat to Germany FR in 1966.
- 13 members of Qatar’s 2026 squad also featured in their delegation at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, including Mohammed Muntari, who remains the only Qatari player ever to score at the finals, having netted against Senegal in 2022.
- Ricardo Rodriguez and Granit Xhaka are appearing at their fourth FIFA World Cup, equalling the Swiss record held by Valon Behrami and Xherdan Shaqiri. Rodriguez and Xhaka also currently share the Swiss record for most World Cup matches played, with 12 appearances each alongside Shaqiri, and could move into joint first place with a 13th appearance.
