The kickoff for the Group B disputes of the 2026 World Cup takes place this Saturday (22), pitting the teams of Qatar and Switzerland face to face. The ball starts at 4pm (Brasília time) on the lawn of the Levi’s Stadium, located in the city of Santa Clara, in North America. Fans who want to follow every movement of this debut will be able to tune in to the play-by-play coverage offered by the ge portal, guaranteeing immediate access to the main events of the match.
Californian stage hosts the first bracket clash in the tournament
This duel marks the beginning of the journey for both nations within the qualifying phase of the FIFA tournament. The choice of the arena in Santa Clara, one of the most modern structures in California, reflects the magnitude of this edition of the championship, which innovates by dividing its venues between the United States, Mexico and Canada, hosting a record number of 48 teams. Adding three points in the first match is a strategic and almost mandatory step for anyone who dreams of advancing to the knockout stage.
Asian team tries to erase bad image left in last edition
This will be only the Qataris’ second appearance in global football’s main showcase, as they look to overcome the negative record of 2022, when they became the first hosts in history to lose all of their group stage games. The preparatory cycle for the current World Cup had its ups and downs, evidenced by a narrow 1-0 defeat to Ireland and a 0-0 draw against El Salvador during friendly tests. The passport to North America was only stamped in the fourth stage of the Asian Qualifiers, thanks to a hard-fought draw with Oman and a decisive triumph over the United Arab Emirates.
The squad led by the technical committee has a green and yellow touch, thanks to the presence of naturalized players. One of the highlights is Edmilson Junior, who was born in Belgian territory, has family ties in Itabaiana, in the state of Sergipe, and has defended the colors of the Asian country since the 2024 season. Another important player is defender Lucas Mendes, trained in Coritiba’s youth categories, who made the decision to wear the Qatari shirt around three years ago and adds tactical expertise to the defensive system.
Europeans seek to break historic barriers and advance in the knockout stage
A constant presence on the big stage, the Swiss team embarks on its 13th participation in the World Cup with a clear goal: to go beyond the quarter-finals, a feat achieved only in the distant editions of 1934, 1938 and 1954. The campaign that guaranteed the place demonstrated enormous solidity in the European Qualifiers, where the team ended its participation at the top of Group B, accumulating four victories and two draws in direct confrontations against Sweden, Slovenia and Kosovo.
The group called up is full of players competing in the most competitive championships on the Old Continent. Among the big names expected to start the match are front man Ndoye, linked to Nottingham Forest, and defender Akanji, whose rights belong to Manchester City, but who plays on loan to Inter Milan. The creation and marking sector is led by the veteran Granit Xhaka, a Sunderland player who has a historic record of 145 official games wearing his country’s shirt.
Details of the television broadcast and selected team of referees
Sports lovers will have different platforms at their disposal so as not to miss any details of the international clash. The tournament organization has also announced the whistleblower professionals who will be responsible for maintaining discipline and applying the rules during the 90 minutes.
- Viewing options: The Cazé TV channel holds the video display rights, while the ge.globo page updates the score and plays in continuous text format.
- Owner of the whistle: Said Martínez, representative of Honduras.
- Field assistants: Christian Ramirez and Walter Lopez, both also from Honduras.
- Reserve professional: Oshane Nation, from Jamaica, will act as fourth referee.
- Video booth: Caleb Wales, from Trinidad and Tobago, will lead the VAR technology.
Starting lineups designed for the opening duel
The commanders of both delegations must spare no effort and will send the best they have in terms of available pieces to the field. The starting eleven designed in training shows the strategy of maximum strength to start with an advantage in the group classification table.
The eleven chosen by coach Julen Lopetegui
- Abunada
- Al-Oui
- Gueye Laye
- Khoukhi
- Fathi
- Homam Ahmed
- Jassem Gaber
- Lucas Mendes
- Edmilson Junior
- Afif
- Abdurisag
The starting team designed by coach Murat Yakin
- Kobel
- Widmer
- Akanji
- Elvedi
- Ricardo Rodríguez
- Freuler
- Xhaka
- Aebischer
- Ndoye
- Amdouni
- Manzambi
