2026 World Cup: Qatar drawn in Group B alongside Canada, Switzerland and UEFA playoff winner

Qatar have been placed in Group B for the FIFA World Cup 2026, joining co-hosts Canada, Switzerland, and the winner of a four-team UEFA playoff between Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, following the group stage draw which was held at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. on Friday.

This sets the stage for what will be Qatar’s first appearance at the World Cup outside their home soil.

At the 2022 edition, Al-Annabi qualified automatically as hosts, having never reached the tournament finals before. Their first-ever qualification on merit came this October after a dramatic 2-1 victory over the UAE, ending a long drought.

Julen Lopetegui’s side will open their 2026 campaign against Switzerland on June 13 at the Levi’s Stadium, in Santa Clara. It will be a familiar place for some of the Qatari players, who were part of the squad that defeated Mexico 1-0 at the 2023 Gold Cup in the same venue, in front of over 60,000 fans.

Qatar’s second game will see them take on Canada on June 18 at Vancouver’s BC Place, before concluding the group stage in the third fixture on June 24, against the winner of the European playoff path at the Lumen Field in Seattle.

Historically, Qatar have faced both Canada and Switzerland only once each in friendlies. Akram Afif scored the winning goal in a 1-0 triumph over Switzerland in 2018, while the team suffered a 2-0 loss to Canada in 2022.

The final spot in Group B will be decided by the European playoff path A: four-time World Cup champions Italy play Northern Ireland, and the winner of that tie will face off with Wales or Bosnia and Herzegovina.