The Qatar national football team kicked off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a thrilling 1-1 draw against Switzerland on Saturday evening at the Levi's Stadium in California. The only goal came through Breel Embolo from a penalty kick in the 17th minute, which was awarded to his teammate Vargas due to a foul by Qatar's goalkeeper Mahmoud Abu Nadi. However, the goal was questionable due to the presence of a Swiss striker in an offside position. In the second half, Switzerland maintained their lead until Qatar's veteran player Boualem Khoukhi scored a crucial goal in the 95th minute, earning his team a valuable draw. Qatar's lineup consisted of goalkeeper Mahmoud Abu Nadi, defenders Pedro Miguel, Isa Lay, Jassim Jabir, and Edmilson Junior, midfielders Akram Afif, Ayoub Al-Alawi, and Hamam Al-Amin, and forwards Youssef Abdurazzaq, Boualem Khoukhi, and Asim Madbo. The Qatar national football team is competing in the second group of the 2026 World Cup, alongside Canada, Switzerland, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. With this result, Qatar shares the top spot in the group with Switzerland, Canada, and Bosnia, as the latter two teams also drew 1-1. The 2026 FIFA World Cup system is exceptional in various aspects, including the number of participating teams and the new tournament format, which will feature 104 matches over 40 days. The 48 teams have been divided into 12 groups, each containing four teams, with the top two teams from each group qualifying directly for the round of 32, along with the best eight teams that finish third, based on the number of points, goal difference, and goals scored.