Qatar's flag is displayed on a screen during the draw for the 2026 FIFA Football World Cup taking place in the US, Canada and Mexico, at the Kennedy Center, in Washington, DC, on December 5, 2025. (Photo by Roberto SCHMIDT / AFP)
Doha: Qatar will begin their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign on June 13 against Switzerland after being drawn in Group B alongside the Red Crosses, co-hosts Canada and the winners of the UEFA Path A intercontinental play-off between Italy, Northern Ireland, Wales and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Qatar will take on Switzerland at the 68,500-seat Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, and then travel to Vancouver to face Canada on June 18 at BC Place. Al Annabi will finish their Group B schedule on June 24 in Seattle, facing the UEFA Path A winner at Lumen Field, the home of the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League and Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer.
US baseball player Aaron Judge shows the card reading Qatar during the draw for the 2026 FIFA Football World Cup taking place in the US, Canada and Mexico, at the Kennedy Center, in Washington, DC, on December 5, 2025. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP)
The draw, which took place in Washington, DC, marked a major milestone for Julen Lopetegui’s squad after a smooth qualifying campaign which saw the reigning Asian champions book their spot for the FIFA spectacle after topping Group A in the fourth round of Asian qualifiers ahead of Oman and the UAE.
This is Qatar’s second straight World Cup appearance and the first secured through the qualifying pathway.
The 2026 World Cup will take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, with 48 teams in contention for the first time in the history of the global showpiece.
A picture shows groups A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K and L during the draw for the 2026 FIFA Football World Cup taking place in the US, Canada and Mexico, at the Kennedy Center, in Washington, DC, on December 5, 2025. (Photo by Roberto SCHMIDT / AFP)
Qatar hosted the 2022 edition, recognized by fans all over the world as the best ever FIFA World Cup, delivering a tournament that met global expectations.
The draw ceremony took place in front of a high-profile audience, led by United States President Donald Trump, Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum, Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Supermodel Heidi Klum, comedian Kevin Hart and actor-producer Danny Ramirez co-hosted the event, while former Manchester United and England defender Rio Ferdinand conducted the draw alongside broadcaster Samantha Johnson.
They were joined on stage by a star cast of sporting greats, including Tom Brady, Wayne Gretzky, Aaron Judge and Shaquille O’Neal.
