2 days ago
Key events
Here’s nan Qatari prima man.
Sunderland fans will beryllium looking guardant to seeing their section leader successful action.
The 2022 hosts’ preparations for nan tournament were disrupted arsenic nan US-Iran warfare caused nan cancellation of valuable friendlies against Serbia and champions Argentina successful March. The coach, Julen Lopetegui, had wanted arsenic galore minutes arsenic imaginable pinch his players, having only been appointed successful May 2025. Worryingly, they had won only 1 retired of 11 games nether nan erstwhile Spain and Real Madrid head earlier nan World Cup warm-up games.
Lopetegui did what he had to do though, making judge Qatar reached nan World Cup finals, but it was a adjacent call. The Maroons vanished 4th retired of six teams successful nan main qualifying group earlier – aided by location advantage and a favourable schedule – drafting 0-0 pinch Oman and beating UAE 2-1 to guarantee qualification.
There are galore reasons why Swiss fans tin attack nan tourney pinch dream and anticipation. The squad were very comfortable successful qualifying, finishing apical of their group up of Kosovo, Slovenia and Sweden, winning 4 games and drafting two.
There is simply a bully operation successful nan squad betwixt nan elder statesmen – specified arsenic Granit Xhaka, Manuel Akanji and Ricardo Rodriguez – and a younger procreation represented by Dan Ndoye, Fabian Rieder and Johan Manzambi among others. Moreover, nan Nati person truthful acold avoided injuries pinch nan Burnley striker Zeki Amdouni seemingly winning his conflict to get backmost aft an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Preamble
OK, here’s a trial of nan expanded tournament. Hipsters only? Though to beryllium fair, some teams are not unfamiliar, having been astatine nan 2022 finals, Qatar arsenic hosts. The Swiss are serial qualifiers, 12 times successful each though person ne'er been past nan quarters, and that was arsenic agelong arsenic 1954, erstwhile they were hosts. Qatar are Asian champions, nary less, and coached by a acquainted Premier League look successful Julen Lopetegui. The Swiss qualified pinch ease, topping their group unbeaten. They meet successful nan San Francisco Bay Area.
Kick-off astatine 3pm ET/8pm UK time
