Qatar snatches a last-minute draw against Switzerland in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup campaign

California —
The Qatari national team snatched a valuable draw from their Swiss counterpart with a score of 1-1, in the match that brought them together in the first round of Group B competitions in the 2026 World Cup.

The Swiss national team opened the scoring in the 17th minute through Breel Embolo, who succeeded in giving his team an early advantage after a strong start from the European side.

The Swiss team maintained their lead throughout the match, before the Qatari team managed to snatch the equalizing goal in the fourth minute of added time through defender Boualem Khoukhi, depriving Switzerland of a victory that was within reach.

The draw gave Qatar an important point at the start of their World Cup journey, while Switzerland settled for one point despite their superiority for most of the match.

With this result, the competition in Group B heated up early, after the other match between Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina also ended in a draw, with each team earning one point after the opening round.

The Qatari team will play their next match against Canada in a game that could be decisive in the race to qualify for the next round, while Switzerland will face Bosnia and Herzegovina in the second round of group competitions