World Cup 2026: Group B Preview
- 4 days ago
- 5 min read
Alphonso Davies leads a generation of change that could usher in Canada's greatest soccer moment this summer. Can the young, talented Canucks deliver on home turf?
Canada 🇨🇦
FIFA Rank: 30th
Qualified as: Hosts
The Skinny
Canada’s qualifying for the 2022 World Cup by topping the CONCACAF qualifying group was a point of enormous pride for the rapidly growing soccer association up north. But even that will surely pale in comparison to the pride they’ll feel of being able to play a World Cup on their home soil. The Canucks kick off in Toronto, then play two matches in Vancouver, and if they win their group, will proceed with matches in those two cities up to the quarterfinal stage. Will the pressure upon them, and the lack of a qualifying gauntlet this time hurt them? It’s entirely possible, but Canadian fans would likely offset that skepticism by pointing to the depth of their talent, and the unexpected gift of perhaps the easiest group in the tournament.
The Best XI
Bayern Munich fullback Alphonso Davies is still undoubtedly the star (and the captain) of this team, but the level of the talent around him has rapidly improved. He will play in a back line likely to feature Ligue 1 starters Moïse Bambino and Derek Cornelius, and Celtic starter Alistair Johnston. Behind them, Jesse Marsch again has the luxury of picking between two of the better keepers in all of MLS, but I expect Inter Miami man Dayne St. Clair to get the nod over the slightly more experienced Maxime Crépeau. A talented midfield is likely to be helmed by longtime Porto player Stephen Eustáquio, and Villarreal tandem Tajon Buchanan and Tani Oluwaseyi will bolster the attack. That attack is hardly lacking for options, though, with Southampton veteran Cyle Larin teaming up with star man Jonathan David, hoping to regain the torrid form he’s lost somewhat in his first season with Juventus. star forward Almoez Ali and veteran striker Hassan Al-Haydos, is one to be feared.
Bosnia and Herzegovina 🇧🇦
FIFA Rank: 65th
Qualified as: Runners-up of UEFA Group H;
defeated Wales and Italy in playoff
The Skinny
Czechia weren’t the only team to be a surprise qualifier from Europe who advanced to the tournament thanks to two PK shootout victories in the March playoffs, and now are stuck in a group with a hosting nation. I give you: Bosnia and Herzegovina! Zmajevi are the lowest-ranked European side in this tournament and shocked the world by qualifying from a playoff path that included Italy. They will likely be underdogs in this foursome again, but will surely be backed by vociferous support Stateside, are rife with young talent, and if “The Dragons” don’t fear a cauldron away crowd in Cardiff or a vastly more experienced Italy side, why would they fear their odds in this group?
The Best XI
It’s unlikely that manager Sergej Barbarez will opt for this unconventional, uber-defensive formation, but it might be the best option for the personnel they have. 40-year old talisman Edin Džeko is still doing his thing, nowadays at Schalke, and Stuttgart’s Demirović and Alajbegović the young Red Bull Salzburg star provide ample attacking reinforcements. But otherwise, most of Bosnia’s talent is found in the defense. In PSV’s Bajraktarević and Benfica’s Amar Dedić, they have sneaky good potential at wingback, and in the defense former Arsenal man and current Atalanta mainstay Sead Kolašinac could be part of a stodgy CB trio that includes fellow Serie A starter Dennis Hadžikadunić.
Qatar 🇶🇦
FIFA Rank: 55th
Qualified as: 4th place in AFC Group A;
topped United Arab Emirates and Oman in playoff
The Skinny
Qatar made their World Cup debut as hosts in 2022, of course, and it was an inglorious debut. As the host nation faced charges of bribery in winning hosting rights in the first place, and accusations of sports washing and human rights violations off the field, the actual team itself failed to bring any more positive PR to the country, becoming the first hosts to lose the opening match of the tournament, and just the second (behind South Africa) to be eliminated in the group stage, as well as the first to not gain a single point. The Maroon Ones are once again long shots in this tournament, ranking in the lowest quarter of the expanded field, but this time, they’ve earned their spot through on-field success. Winners of the last two AFC Asian Cups, and qualifiers by way of playoff victory over the United Arab Emirates, who had bested them in the group stage of qualifying, Given their inclusion in multiple Gold Cups recently, too, they’re familiar with playing on the continent and with their hosting opponents.
The Best XI
As was the case in 2022, I mostly went by total caps here to make this XI, because I’ll confess I know very little about Qatar’s squad. Given that the entire squad plays in the Qatari Pro League, and many players came up together in the same “re-nationalizing” program, they won’t hurt for synergy. From watching some of Qatar’s successes in the last two Asian Cups and 2021 Gold Cup, I know that their attack, spearheaded by star forwards Almoez Ali and Akram Afif, is one to be feared. Abdulaziz Hatem and Karim Boudiaf bring loads of experience in the center of the park, and Al-Rayyan teammates Boualem Khouki and Ró-Ró the same to the back line.
Switzerland 🇨🇭
FIFA Rank: 19th
Qualified as: 1st place in UEFA Group B
The Skinny
Ever since the 2006 World Cup, the first I watched the vast majority of, Switzerland have perennially been a “Round of 16 team.” Always a solid team, generally a tough out, usually lacking the talent or attacking drive to progress as far as the quarterfinals (although they were able to give eventual runners-up France and Argentina awful scares in ’06 and ’14, respectively, and did the same to runners-up England at the last Euros). An experienced and skilled but aging squad suggests this Cup might hold the same outcome for the Nati. But as both the highest-ranked and most battle-tested squad in their group by far, perhaps bigger things are in store for them this time around?
The Best XI
As referenced above, this is an aging Switzerland side, but a good one, with household names across the pitch. The terrific Yann Sommer has retired from international play, but Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel still cuts a formidable figure in goal, and he’ll play behind a tried and true back line that includes Inter Milan and Manchester city starter Manuel Akanji, Mönchengladbach’s Nico Elvedi, and Swiss and Real Betis captain Ricardo Rodriguez. The ageless Granit Xhaka is back in the midfield, alongside fellow veteran Denis Zakaria (Monaco). The attack is likely to include the Premier League tandem of Dan Ndoye and Noah Okafor, as well as Sevilla’s Rubén Vargas, who was a breakout in the Swiss quarterfinal run in Euro 2024.
Group Schedule (all times ET)
6/12, 3 PM: Canada v Bosnia and Herzegovina (Toronto)
6/13, 3 PM: Qatar v Switzerland (San Francisco)
6/18, 3 PM: Switzerland v Bosnia and Herzegovina (Los Angeles)
6/18, 6 PM: Canada v Qatar (Vancouver)
6/24, 3 PM: Switzerland v Canada (Vancouver) / Bosnia and Herzegovina v Qatar (Seattle)
Group Prediction
I feel pretty confident in Qatar once again striking out in group play, although I do think they have a chance of being a tougher out than people are expecting. Each of the matches between the other 3 sides feel like tossups to me, though. I think the emotions of the kickoff match in Toronto will buoy Canada to a win over Bosnia, though I do think the latter are good enough to snag a point at least off of them and/or the Swiss. And in the rubber match in Vancouver, I think Switzerland’s experience will win the day and see them take the group title from the hosts.
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