Switzerland opened their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a 1-1 draw against Qatar on June 13 at Levi’s Stadium in San Francisco. What should have been a routine three points against a lower-ranked opponent turned into a gut punch when Boualem Khoukhi equalized deep into stoppage time.
What happened on the pitch
Breel Embolo gave Switzerland the lead from the penalty spot in the 17th minute. From there, the Swiss controlled large stretches of the match but failed to convert their dominance into additional goals.
Qatar, playing with nothing to lose, found their moment in stoppage time. Khoukhi’s equalizer earned Qatar their first-ever World Cup point, a historic result for the Gulf nation.
The Swiss reaction was swift and pointed. Head coach Murat Yakin called it an unnecessarily lost point. Granit Xhaka demanded accountability, insisting the squad own their mistakes rather than make excuses.
