Qatar vs Switzerland: Who will begin the 2026 World Cup with a victory? Prediction – June 13, 2026
On Saturday, June 13, Qatar and Switzerland will face off in their opening Group B fixture at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Kick-off is scheduled for 9:00 PM CET, and here is the recommended betting pick.
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Qatar vs Switzerland: Match preview
Qatar began their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign in the second round. They collected 16 points from six matches to finish top of the group and progress to the third stage. The next phase proved more challenging, as the Qataris managed only 13 points from 10 games and finished fourth in the standings. They then advanced to the fourth qualifying stage, where they defeated the United Arab Emirates and drew with Oman, results that were enough to secure a place at the World Cup. This will be only the second appearance in the nation's history after the 2022 tournament. However, while they qualified automatically as hosts four years ago, this time they earned their place on merit. With a highly competitive group awaiting them, reaching the knockout rounds will be an extremely difficult task.
One of Qatar’s opponents is Switzerland, who secured direct qualification for the World Cup after finishing three points clear of the runners-up in their group. The Swiss once again enter the tournament aiming to reach the knockout stages. At the previous World Cup, they finished second in their group with six points. This time, they share a group with Bosnia and Herzegovina and Canada. It is undoubtedly a challenging section, but Switzerland have every chance of finishing in the top two and progressing without relying on the ranking of third-placed teams. In the build-up to the tournament, they played four friendly matches, recording one win, two draws, and one defeat.
Match facts and head-to-head
- Qatar are winless in their last six matches, recording two draws and four defeats.
- Qatar have failed to score in each of their last three matches.
- Switzerland have won only one of their previous five games.
- Qatar defeated Switzerland 1-0 in the most recent meeting between the two sides.
Probable line-ups
- Qatar: Abunada; Al-Oui, Khoukhi, Pedro Miguel, Ahmed; Laye, Fathi, Gaber; Abdurisag, Afif, Edmilson
- Switzerland: Kobel; Widmer, Akanji, Elvedi, Rodriguez; Xhaka, Freuler; Vargas, Rieder, Ndoye; Amdouni
Prediction
I expect Switzerland to come away with the victory, and my recommended bet is for the Swiss to score over 2 goals in the match.
