Pre-match information
In the first match in Group B, host Canada drew Bosnia & Herzegovina 1-1. Therefore, if Qatar or Switzerland win the match, they will temporarily rise to the top of the group after the first match.
Qatar is the host of the 2022 World Cup. But then, they did not play successfully, losing all 3 matches and being eliminated early. Four years have passed, Qatar returned with the determination to make a stronger impression, under the guidance of head coach Julen Lopetegui.
The Spanish strategist emphasized that the Qatar team is aiming to create a new mark at the 2026 World Cup. He said: "We know the opponents we have to face. We know that the whole team is at the World Cup and pursuing our dreams. No one gives us gifts here. We want to compete as hard as possible, starting from the first match with Switzerland.
Among the players retained from the 2022 squad, Akram Afif is still the spearhead in Qatar's attack. Afif has twice won the AFC Player of the Year award and he himself really wants to prove his class in the international arena.
In theory, Qatar is not a team with a strong attack in open play, but Afif's solid defense, ability to take advantage of set pieces and sharp counter-attack ability can create an effective formula against higher-ranked opponents.
The stability of the Swiss team, especially reaching the round of 16 at both the 2022 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 2024, gives them a more solid foundation before the opening match.
With experienced players like Xherdan Shaqiri and Granit Xhaka leading, Murat Yakin's team is confident that they will overcome Qatar.
This will be the second time the Qatar team has participated in the FIFA World Cup, but in the first time as hosts in 2022, they lost all three matches, conceded seven goals and only scored one goal.
Among the teams that have played at least 10 matches in the Asian Qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, Qatar's matches have a higher average number of goals per match than any other team (3.61). Among the Asian teams that have qualified for the FIFA World Cup, Qatar has lost more matches in the qualifiers than any other country (5).
Almoez Ali scored more goals than any other player in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Asia, while Afif led in the number of assists (11, of which 6 assists came from set pieces). Overall, only Mehdi Taremi of the Iranian national team directly participated in more goals than Afif (4 goals, 11 assists).
Lopetegui will become the second Spanish coach to lead Qatar at the World Cup after Felix Sanchez in 2022. In fact, the last six coaches of the Qatar team all came from the Iberian Peninsula (4 Spaniards, 2 Portuguese).
