Switzerland will begin their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign as clear favourites when they face Qatar in their Group B opener, with the Europeans looking to continue their impressive consistency on football’s biggest stage.

Qatar return to the World Cup four years after making their tournament debut as hosts in 2022. However, memories of that campaign remain disappointing, as they exited at the group stage after losing all three matches. Recent results suggest another challenging tournament could lie ahead for Julen Lopetegui’s side, who arrive at the finals on a six-match winless run (D2, L4) and have scored just twice during that period.

Their preparations were far from ideal, ending with a goalless draw against El Salvador in their final warm-up fixture. Qatar have also struggled against European opposition in recent years, winning only two of their last 15 meetings with nations from the continent. Furthermore, they have failed to win any of their last 11 full internationals played away from home.

Switzerland, by contrast, enter the tournament in excellent form. Murat Yakin’s men extended their unbeaten run to 13 matches from their last 14 outings with a 1-1 draw against Australia earlier this month. They were one of only two European nations to progress through qualifying without ever trailing in a match and head into the competition as the highest-ranked team in Group B.

The Swiss have built a reputation for consistency at World Cups, reaching the last 16 in each of the previous three tournaments. They have not lost an opening World Cup fixture since 1966 and have not been beaten by a team ranked below Qatar in the FIFA rankings since November 2022.

Interestingly, the only previous meeting between the two nations came in a 2018 friendly, when Qatar secured a surprise 1-0 victory.

Akram Afif remains Qatar’s biggest attacking threat. The 2024 Asian Footballer of the Year scored the winner in that previous encounter and has seen 11 of his last 14 international goals come in victories. For Switzerland, Breel Embolo will be the danger man, having scored five goals at major international tournaments, with four of those strikes either opening or closing the scoring.

Statistics suggest there could be goals in this contest. Qatar’s qualifying matches averaged 3.61 goals per game, while five of Switzerland’s last six matches have seen both teams find the net. The Swiss have also been quick starters, with six of their eight goals in 2026 arriving before half-time.

Qatar appear to have a fully fit squad available, while Switzerland’s Noah Okafor is still building fitness following a calf injury and may not be ready for a full 90 minutes.

Prediction

While Qatar possess talented individuals capable of causing problems, current form and overall quality heavily favour Switzerland. The Europeans are more experienced at this level, arrive with momentum and have consistently performed well at major tournaments.

Prediction: Qatar 0-2 Switzerland

Betting Tip: Switzerland to win.