KLIK SAJA - Qatar and Switzerland will kick off their respective 2026 FIFA World Cup campaigns when they meet in Santa Clara on Saturday.
The two nations, who will face each other for the first time in a competitive match, have been drawn into Group B alongside Canada and Bosnia & Herzegovina for this summer's tournament.
Qatar are making only their second appearance at a FIFA World Cup finals after previously competing as hosts in 2022, where they were eliminated in the group stage.
The Maroons secured their place at the 2026 World Cup thanks to a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the United Arab Emirates last October.
However, their form has dipped significantly since then, as they have failed to win any of their last six matches.
That disappointing run includes a 1-0 defeat to the Republic of Ireland in a friendly at the end of May. Julen Lopetegui's side then played out a 1-1 draw against El Salvador in their final warm-up match on June 6.
As a result, Qatar head into their opening World Cup fixture against a strong Swiss side without much momentum, and they will need a significant improvement if they hope to start the tournament on a positive note.
Group B appears to be one of the most open groups in the competition, with Canada and Bosnia & Herzegovina also expected to challenge for qualification.
A victory in the opening match would place Qatar in a strong position to reach the knockout rounds for the first time in their history, particularly with a third-place finish potentially being enough to advance.
Interestingly, Qatar have faced Switzerland only once before and emerged with a 1-0 victory in an international friendly back in 2018.
Switzerland, meanwhile, are no strangers to football's biggest stage. This tournament marks their 13th World Cup appearance, and they have become one of the most consistent teams in international football.
The Swiss have reached the Round of 16 in each of the last three World Cups, and it would be considered a major surprise if they were to fail to progress beyond the group stage this time around.
Their best World Cup performances came in 1934, 1938, and 1954 when they advanced to the quarter-finals. Furthermore, Switzerland have not been eliminated in the group stage since the 2010 tournament, highlighting the high expectations surrounding Murat Yakin's squad.
The A-Team enter this contest following a 1-1 draw against Australia in their final pre-tournament friendly. Prior to that result, they recorded an impressive 4-1 victory over Jordan at the end of May.