Switzerland defeats Qatar with early penalty in World Cup 2026 Group B opener

Swiss striker Breel Embolo converted a 13th‑minute penalty to give Switzerland a 1‑0 win over Qatar in the Group B opener of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

The penalty stemmed from a collision between Swiss midfielder Remo Freuler and Qatar goalkeeper Meshal Abunada. After a brief VAR check the referee confirmed the spot‑kick, and Embolo’s finish continued his record of scoring in four different major tournaments – a distinction previously held only by Xherdan Shaqiri for Switzerland.

The result placed Switzerland atop Group B with three points, while Qatar stayed winless. Qatar, the 2022 host, qualified for the 2026 tournament via the normal route for the first time, having gone 373 minutes without scoring before the match.