Swiss resilience vs. Qatar ambition opens World Cup 2026 in San Francisco

Switzerland opened World Cup 2026 against Qatar in the San Francisco Bay Area, with early Swiss pressure as Ndoye forced a save and Akanji nearly exposed by Qatar’s attack; the match-preview noted Switzerland’s veteran spine (Rodriguez, Xhaka) and Qatar’s lineup changes under Lopetegui, with Afif leading the line. Formations appeared to be Qatar in a 4-3-3 and Switzerland in a 4-2-3-1, and kickoff kicked off the Bay Area’s World Cup atmosphere amid a mix of nerves and anticipation.