Qatar vs Switzerland Preview: Team News & Prediction | FIFA World Cup 2026 | Group Stage
Having made their debut as hosts in 2022, Qatar have now qualified for another FIFA World Cup as they get themselves underway with a clash against now perennial qualifiers Switzerland.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – ITV / USA – FOX Sports
How to watch online: UK – ITVX / USA – FOX One
Qatar preview: Attempting to be solid
The Qataris headed into FIFA World Cup 2022 with some people wondering whether they could actually be a decent side and one to watch in a fairly open Group A, but the Arab state were instead an underwhelming watch and suffered three defeats from three as they finished rock-bottom in their group.
They will likely try to again contain the opposition and that is even more so the case now under the management of former West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Julen Lopetegui, who is finally coaching at a FIFA World Cup after losing the Spain job on the eve of FIFA World Cup 2018 in Russia.
Switzerland preview: Solid Swiss
Having performed well to reach the quarter-finals of UEFA EURO 2024, only to lose to eventual runners-up England on penalties, Switzerland will be seeking to build on that and actually make a statement at a FIFA World Cup having reached the round of 16 of the tournament in four of the last five campaigns.
The Swiss have moved on from some of their experienced regulars such as Yann Sommer, Fabian Schar and Xherdan Shaqiri but they still have some notable talents after qualifying for the tournament in impressive style in a group consisting of Kosovo, Slovenia and Sweden.
Qatar team news
Team news will appear here closer to the match…
Predicted XI (X-X-X-X): TBC
Unavailable: TBC
Questionable: TBC
Switzerland team news
Team news will appear here closer to the match…
Predicted XI (X-X-X-X): TBC
Unavailable: TBC
Questionable: TBC
Qatar’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Boualem Khoukhi ($3.8m) – Defender
Mohammed Al Mannai ($4.2m) – Midfielder
Akram Afif ($5.9m) – Forward
Matchday 1 captain pick: Mohammed Al Mannai
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Akram Afif
Free kicks: Akram Afif
Corners: Akram Afif
Switzerland’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Gregor Kobel ($4.7m) – Goalkeeper
Manuel Akanji ($5.0m) – Defender
Breel Embolo ($7.5m) – Forward
Matchday 1 captain pick: Breel Embolo
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Granit Xhaka, Breel Embolo
Free kicks: Granit Xhaka
Corners: Ruben Vargas, Fabian Rieder
Key stats
- 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.
- 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 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 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.
- 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.
- 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 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.
- 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.
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Qatar vs Switzerland prediction
Qatar have changed quite a few things around from the squad that hosted the tournament three-and-a-half years ago. However, they still really lack quality and their star comes in the dugout with Lopetegui expected to at least make Qatar occasionally awkward to play against. Switzerland are hardly ever one of the most thrilling and efficient sides in the final third but they should still begin their campaign with a comfortable victory in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Qatar vs Switzerland betting tip: Switzerland to win with -1 handicap
