Qatar World Cup 2026 full schedule — every match date, kickoff time and venue. Group B fixtures against Switzerland, Canada and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Published: June 9, 2026 | Author: Hemim SK
Qatar return to the FIFA World Cup with a heavy burden of history hanging over their squad. Four years ago they became the first host nation ever to be eliminated in the group stage when they hosted the tournament on home soil. Now they travel to North America as an away team for the first time — no home crowd, no home comforts, no advantage from familiar surroundings.
Group B is not easy. Canada are one of the co-hosts playing on home soil. Switzerland are one of the most technically organised sides in European football. Bosnia-Herzegovina qualified through a tough playoff process. Qatar arrive knowing exactly what is at stake — and knowing that a repeat of 2022 would be a serious blow to the continued development of football in the Gulf region.
Their pre-tournament form has not inspired confidence. A 1-0 defeat to Republic of Ireland — a nation not even at this World Cup — raised genuine concerns about their defensive organisation and attacking creativity. But Qatar’s coaching staff have four years of experience since 2022 and will have prepared their squad specifically to address those weaknesses.
For football fans across the Arab world and the Middle East, Qatar’s progress at this tournament matters enormously. They are the region’s most prominent football programme and their results carry symbolic weight far beyond the individual players and manager.
Qatar World Cup 2026 — Key Facts
Group: B
Opponents: Switzerland, Canada, Bosnia-Herzegovina
FIFA ranking: 37th in the world
Coach: Marquez Lopez
Key players: Hassan Al-Haydos, Almoez Ali, Akram Afif
Opening match: Qatar vs Switzerland — June 13, San Francisco Bay Area
Previous World Cup: 2022 — eliminated in group stage as hosts
Tournament host cities: San Francisco Bay Area, Vancouver, Seattle
Qatar Group Stage Schedule — All 3 Matches
Match 1 — Qatar vs Switzerland
Date: Saturday June 13, 2026
Kickoff: 3pm ET / 8pm BST / 11pm Qatar time
Venue: San Francisco Bay Area Stadium (Levi’s Stadium), Santa Clara, California
TV USA: Fox / Telemundo
TV UK: BBC / ITV
Tv India : Zee
Tv Middle East: Bein Sports
Qatar open against Switzerland — the highest-ranked team in Group B at 17th in the world. Switzerland are disciplined, organised and led by Granit Xhaka, one of the most experienced midfielders in world football. Qatar need to defend well and use their pace on the counter-attack to stay competitive in this match.
Switzerland have shown in multiple tournaments that they know how to grind out results against technically inferior opponents. Qatar must match their organisation and find moments of individual quality through Akram Afif — their most dangerous attacker — to take anything from this game.
Prediction: Switzerland 2-0 Qatar
Match 2 — Canada vs Qatar
Date: Thursday June 18, 2026
Kickoff: 6pm ET / 11pm BST
Venue: Vancouver Stadium (BC Place), Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Qatar face co-hosts Canada in their second group match at BC Place in Vancouver. Canada — who you can read about in our Canada World Cup 2026 Schedule guide — are playing in front of their home fans and carry the momentum of a nation that has waited 40 years for this moment. Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David will be at their most motivated in this fixture.
This is Qatar’s most difficult fixture in Group B on paper. Canada’s home advantage, combined with the quality of their squad, makes this a match where Qatar will be expected to manage the game defensively and hope for a moment of quality on the counter.
Prediction: Canada 3-0 Qatar
Match 3 — Bosnia-Herzegovina vs Qatar
Date: Wednesday June 24, 2026
Kickoff: 3pm ET / 8pm BST
Venue: Seattle Stadium (Lumen Field), Seattle, Washington
Qatar’s final group match against Bosnia-Herzegovina is their best chance of a positive result. If both teams have lost their opening two fixtures, this becomes a match to avoid finishing last in the group. Bosnia have attacking quality through Ermedin Demirovic but Qatar’s defensive organisation could frustrate them in a tight, tactical encounter.
Prediction: Bosnia-Herzegovina 1-1 Qatar
Qatar’s Road to World Cup 2026
Qatar qualified as the AFC Asian Cup champions — a route that gave them automatic qualification as one of Asia’s representatives. Their domestic league, the Qatar Stars League, has developed significantly since the 2022 World Cup investment, and players like Akram Afif — who plays for Al Sadd — have genuine quality at international level.
The challenge Qatar face is the same one they faced in 2022 — the gap in physical intensity, technical quality and tournament experience between the best AFC nations and the top European and South American sides remains significant. Switzerland, Canada and Bosnia-Herzegovina all represent that higher level of intensity.
However Qatar have something that no other team in this group has — the experience of playing in a World Cup just four years ago. Their players know what the stage feels like. They know the pressure. They know the speed and physicality of the game. That experience, while not making them favourites, gives them a foundation to build on.
How to Watch Qatar World Cup 2026
USA: Fox (English) / Telemundo (Spanish) / Fubo (streaming)
UK: BBC and ITV share coverage — all Qatar matches free to air
Middle East and Pakistan: beIN Sports
Australia: SBS On Demand
Rest of world: FIFA+ free streaming where no local rights apply
India : Zee
Qatar’s matches will be broadcast extensively across the Arab world given the region’s connection to the team. beIN Sports carries comprehensive coverage with Arabic commentary throughout.
Need To Know
What group is Qatar in at World Cup 2026?
Qatar are in Group B alongside Switzerland, Canada and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
When does Qatar play their first World Cup 2026 match?
Qatar vs Switzerland on Saturday June 13 at 3pm ET / 8pm BST at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Did Qatar get eliminated in the group stage at the 2022 World Cup?
Yes. Qatar became the first host nation in World Cup history to be eliminated in the group stage at the 2022 tournament. They finished bottom of Group A with one point from three matches. Their 2026 campaign is an opportunity to show how much the programme has developed since that difficult experience.
What is Qatar’s FIFA ranking going into World Cup 2026?
Qatar enter the 2026 World Cup ranked 37th in the world by FIFA — significantly lower than their three group stage opponents Switzerland (17th), Canada (27th in the world) and Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Conclusion
Qatar face the challenge of proving that 2022 was not the ceiling of their ambitions but the beginning of a genuine development story. Group B is competitive but not insurmountable. A point against Bosnia-Herzegovina and a respectable performance against Switzerland and Canada would represent genuine progress.
The Gulf region will be watching every minute. Qatar have the talent. The question is whether they have the mentality and the consistency to compete at this level.
Read next: Canada World Cup 2026 Schedule — Their Full Group B Campaign on Home Soil
Related: World Cup 2026 Groups Ranked From Hardest to Easiest — Who Got Lucky
Can Qatar show real improvement from their 2022 group stage exit — or will they finish bottom of Group B again? Tell us in the comments