Qatar and Switzerland define lineups for decisive duel in the first round of the World Cup

The kickoff for the teams of Qatar and Switzerland in the world tournament takes place this Saturday, in a match valid for the opening round of Group B. The match is scheduled for 4pm, considering the Brasília time zone, and will take place at the imposing Levi’s Stadium, located in the city of Santa Clara, in the United States, an arena that is the traditional home of the San Francisco 49ers franchise in the American football league. Sports fans will have the opportunity to follow every detail of the game live through real-time coverage offered by the ge.globo portal.

The Middle Eastern team reaches its second participation in a FIFA World Cup, trying to erase the frustration of the 2022 edition, when it acted as host country and ended up falling early in the qualifying phase. The current situation of the Qataris raises some doubts, as they ended their cycle of preparatory friendlies without achieving victories in their two most recent matches. On May 28, the team suffered a 1-0 defeat against Ireland, and later, on June 6, it was nothing more than a goalless draw against the El Salvador team.

On the other hand, the European squad brings with it a long experience in the main competition on the planet, now registering its thirteenth appearance in the tournament. The Swiss’ main objective is to go beyond their historical ceiling and break a barrier that has lasted decades. The country’s most notable campaigns took place in the 1934, 1938 and 1954 editions — the latter being played in its own territory —, occasions in which the team managed to advance to the quarter-final stage, the maximum limit reached by them to date.

Possible lineups for this weekend’s international duel

Strategies and prominent names in Qatar under the direction of Julen Lopetegui

The Asian country’s journey towards qualification required resilience, even after finishing at the top of Group A during the second stage of the local qualifiers. The definitive passport to the World Cup was only stamped in the fourth phase of qualifying, when the team drew goalless with Oman and beat the United Arab Emirates by a score of 2-1, recovering from a modest fourth place obtained in the third round of the competition.

For the challenge taking place in the United States, the Qatari squad will have a touch of green and yellow in its starting line-up. Striker Edmilson Junior, who was born in Belgium but has strong family ties to the city of Itabaiana, in Sergipe, has worn the Asian team’s shirt since the 2024 season. Alongside him, the defensive sector has full-back Lucas Mendes, a player trained in Coritiba’s youth teams, who made the decision to naturalize and play for Qatar three seasons ago, consolidating himself as yet another indirect representative of Brazil on the team.

• Lucas Mendes
• Afif
• Khoukhi
• Fathi
• Edmilson Junior
• Abdurisag
• Homam Ahmed
• Jassem Gaber
• Abunada
• Al-Oui
• Gueye Laye

Overview of the Swiss squad led by coach Murat Yakin

The European team secured their passage to the FIFA tournament in impressive fashion, finishing in first place in Group B of the Old Continent Qualifiers. The team’s victorious trajectory was built very solidly, accumulating four victories and two draws on the scoreboard during direct confrontations against the teams of Kosovo, Slovenia and Sweden, demonstrating a tactical standard that is difficult to beat.

This Saturday’s commitment will highlight some of the most renowned figures in European football who make up the Swiss group. The offensive sector’s trump card is striker Ndoye, currently linked to Nottingham Forest, while the defense is led by Akanji, a Manchester City athlete who is currently on loan at Inter Milan. In midfield, Granit Xhaka, a Sunderland player who boasts a historic record of 145 official matches defending his country’s colors, is the pillar of the squad’s experience.

• Ricardo Rodríguez
• Xhaka
• Widmer
• Elvedi
• Akanji
• Freuler
• Kobel
• Aebischer
• Ndoye
• Amdouni
• Manzambi

Professionals selected to referee the match

The commission appointed by football’s highest governing body to mediate the 90 minutes of football is made up of the following officials:

• Main referee: Said Martínez (Honduras)
• Field assistants: Walter Lopez and Christian Ramirez (Honduras)
• Fourth official: Oshane Nation (Jamaica)
• Video referee: Caleb Wales (Trinidad and Tobago)

Streaming options to follow the game in real time

Sports lovers who want to watch the clash between the Qataris and the Swiss have excellent alternatives available:

• Digital monitoring: The ge website provides a minute-by-minute narration of all the moves in the match.
• Video exhibition: Cazé TV will broadcast the full game live to the public.