2026 World Cup opener: Qatar draws with Switzerland as Sweden, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia and Uruguay kick off tournament
In the opening round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup several matches took place across North America.
At Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, Switzerland led early when Breel Embolo converted a penalty in the 13th minute, but Qatar equalised in added time of the second half when defender Boualem Khoukhi headed home in the 49th minute, securing a 1‑1 draw and Qatar’s first ever World Cup point.
The same day Sweden faced Tunisia at the BBVA Stadium in Monterrey, Mexico. Both teams named line‑ups featuring Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres for Sweden and a defensive‑solid Tunisian side looking to reach the knockout stage for the first time.
A day later Saudi Arabia met Uruguay at Hard Rock Stadium in Florida. Saudi Arabia fielded goalkeeper Mohammed Al‑Owais and striker Firas Al‑Buraikan, while Uruguay started with goalkeeper Sergio Rochet and striker Darwin Núñez.
These fixtures marked the start of Group B (Qatar, Switzerland, Canada, Bosnia‑Herzegovina) and Group F (Sweden, Tunisia, Netherlands, Japan) and set the early points table for the tournament.