Qatar waited four years to not lose a World Cup match. On June 13, the nation that went winless as host in 2022 finally picked up its first point in tournament history, drawing 1-1 with Switzerland at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
Boualem Khoukhi’s equalizer in the 90+4th minute rescued Qatar from what looked like another quiet exit. The 67,966 fans in attendance watched Switzerland’s Breel Embolo convert a 17th-minute penalty, then sat through 73 minutes of mounting tension before Khoukhi’s late strike sent one half of the stadium into delirium.
From 2022 humiliation to 2026 history
In the 2022 World Cup on home soil, Qatar became the first host nation in the tournament’s modern era to lose all three group-stage matches. They managed a single goal across the entire competition.
Crypto’s growing World Cup footprint
