Qatar
Switzerland
Qatar make their first appearance at a World Cup as qualifiers — having hosted the 2022 edition — when they face a formidable Switzerland side in Group B at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara. For Julen Lopetegui's side, this is uncharted territory in every sense. For Murat Yakin's Swiss, it is another chapter in a long and steady tournament pedigree. The gap in class is real, but Qatar have proven before they are capable of an upset on the right day.
Qatar — The Underdogs
Lopetegui is expected to set up in a compact 4-1-4-1, with Mahmoud Abunada between the sticks. The back four of Ahmed, Khoukhi, Pedro Miguel and Al-Oui provides the defensive base, while Ahmed Fathy operates as the holding midfielder tasked with protecting the shape. The midfield four of Laye, Gaber, Abdurisag and Junior offers industry and width, with the creative burden falling on captain Akram Afif in the advanced role behind the striker.
Afif is the key man — 39 international goals and 11 assists in qualifying alone make him Qatar's most dangerous outlet by some distance. Six of those assists came from set-pieces, and dead-ball situations may well be Qatar's primary route to goal here. The concern is what comes at the other end: Qatar have not scored in their last 373 minutes of football across all competitions, a run stretching back to a December 2025 Arab Cup match against Syria. Their pre-tournament friendlies brought a 1-0 defeat to the Republic of Ireland and a goalless draw with El Salvador. The goals have dried up at the worst possible time.
There is historical encouragement, however — Qatar's only previous meeting with Switzerland ended in a 1-0 friendly win in 2018, with Afif scoring the decisive goal in the 86th minute. Nine players from that squad are back in this one.
Switzerland — The Favourites
Yakin will line up in a 4-3-3, with Gregor Kobel in goal behind a back four of Widmer, Akanji, Elvedi and Rodriguez — an experienced and well-organised defensive unit. The midfield three of Xhaka, Freuler and Aebischer gives Switzerland both the defensive structure and technical quality to control proceedings, with captain Granit Xhaka the conductor at its heart.
Up front, the trio of Ndoye, Embolo and Vargas is as balanced an attacking unit as any in this group. Breel Embolo — one of just five players to have scored multiple goals at both the 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024 — leads the line, while Dan Ndoye arrives in excellent form having netted in three of Switzerland's last five matches. Rubén Vargas provides the pace and directness on the opposite flank.
Switzerland topped their UEFA qualifying group without ever falling behind in any of their six matches — a remarkable stat that underlines the defensive solidity underpinning this side. They have lost just once in their last 14 games across all competitions, and the supercomputer gives them a 76% chance of winning this match. They are, by some margin, the class act in this fixture.
Predicted Lineups
Key Battle
Akram Afif vs the Switzerland midfield. Afif is Qatar's only genuine world-class talent and the one player capable of conjuring something from nothing. Xhaka and Freuler will know exactly where the danger lies and will be disciplined in cutting off his supply lines. If Qatar are to cause an upset, Afif needs time and space — two things Switzerland's midfield will be highly reluctant to give him.
Prediction
Qatar's goalscoring drought and the step up in quality they face here makes this a difficult match to see them getting anything from. Switzerland are organised, in-form and packed with players operating at the top level of club football. That said, Lopetegui is an experienced coach who will set up to be hard to beat, and Qatar will make a game of it — at least for a while.
Expect Switzerland to eventually find a way through, with Embolo or Ndoye likely to be the difference-maker.
Qatar 0–2 Switzerland — Embolo, Ndoye
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