The 2026 World Cup is upon us so it's time to look at the 48 participants – that includes Group B, a section that features 2022 hosts Qatar, and Canada, who share hosting duties this time around.
Canada
Manager: Jesse Marsch. American coach, 52, took over from Mauro Biello in May 2024, guiding the team to third place in the 2025 Concacaf Nations League Finals after beating his home country in the third-place play-off. Knocked out in the Concacaf Gold Cup quarter-finals by Guatemala on penalties. In his club coaching career, he twice led Red Bull Salzburg to a domestic double (2019/20, 2020/21) and won MLS Coach of the Year with New York Red Bulls (2015). Has also had spells in charge of Bundesliga side RB Leipzig and English Premier League outfit Leeds United.
Star player: Alphonso Davies. Key full-back – with 15 goals and 58 caps to his name – is only just returning to fitness following an injury-ravaged spell with Bayern Munich that included a cruciate ligament tear and hamstring problems. Suffered his ACL injury while playing for Canada in the Nations League Finals third-place play-off last March, much to the frustration of Bayern, who felt Davies should not have played in “a match of no sporting significance”. The 25-year-old has won every major title going at the German club and goes into the finals having helped Bayern win a domestic double this season. Scored Canada's first goal at a World Cup finals in Qatar 2022.
One to watch: Jonathan David. Canada's all-time top scorer has notched 39 goals in 75 appearances, with the striker earning numerous individual crowns playing for his country, including the Concacaf Golden Boot (2019) and Concacaf Player of the Year (2025). Prolific spells in Belgium and France – with Gent and Lille, winning the Ligue 1 title at the latter in 2020/21 – earned him a move to Serie A giants Juventus last summer. The 26-year-old finished his first season in Italy with eight goals in 46 appearances.
Best World Cup finish: Have twice qualified for the tournament, in 1986 and 2022, but lost all three group-stage games both times.
Fixtures:
- June 12 (11pm UAE): Canada v Bosnia and Herzegovina, BMO Field, Toronto.
- June 18 (June 19, 2am UAE): Canada v Qatar, BC Place, Vancouver.
- June 24 (11pm UAE): Switzerland v Canada, BC Place, Vancouver.
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Manager: Sergej Barbarez. Has been in charge since 2024 and helped his country seal a first World Cup finals in 22 years after beating Wales and then four-time champions Italy in the play-offs, both via penalty shoot-outs. As a striker for Bosnia, he scored 17 goals in 47 games for his country, and spent most of his club career playing in Germany with the likes of Borussia Dortmund, Hamburg and Bayer Leverkusen. Was also a three-time Bosnian Footballer of the Year.
Star player: Edin Dzeko. Veteran striker, who turned 40 in March, is his nation's all-time top scorer and most capped player with 73 goals in 148 appearances. Contributed six goals to their qualification campaign. Has played more than 900 games in his club career, closing in on 400 goals, winning major honours in Germany (with Wolfsburg), England (Manchester City) and Italy (Inter Milan). Was Serie A top-scorer with Juventus in 2016/17.
One to watch: Haris Tabakovic. The 1.96m-tall striker – whose parents fled from war-torn Bosnia to Switzerland in 1994 just before he was born – was a late bloomer to international football after changing citizenship in 2023, earning his first cap in 2024, aged 29. Has since scored four goals in 10 games. The 31-year-old spent this season on loan at Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach and scored 15 in 35 games across all competitions.
Best World Cup finish: Participated eight times between 1930 and 1990 as part of Yugoslavia. This will be their second tournament as Bosnia and Herzegovina after the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where they exited at the group stage after one win and two defeats.
Fixtures:
- June 12 (11pm UAE): Canada v Bosnia and Herzegovina, BMO Field, Toronto.
- June 18 (11pm UAE): Switzerland v Bosnia and Herzegovina, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California.
- June 24 (11pm UAE): Bosnia and Herzegovina v Qatar, Lumen Field, Seattle.
Qatar
Manager: Julen Lopetegui. The 59-year-old former Spanish national team manager took over as Qatar coach in May 2025, guiding the team to the finals in North America after finishing top in the fourth-round mini-league ahead of Oman and the UAE. The Basque coach led Spain Under-19s and Under-21s to European Championship titles while also winning the Europa League at Sevilla. Has also managed at Porto, Real Madrid, Wolves and West Ham United.
Star player: Almoez Ali. Qatar's all-time top-scorer has 60 goals in 125 appearances, winning back-to-back Asian Cup titles with his country in 2019 – where he was top-scorer and player of the tournament – and 2023. Was AFC top-scorer in Qatar's 2026 qualification campaign with 12 goals. The Sudanese-born attacker, 29, is captain of Qatari club side Al Dulhail where he has notched 73 times in 251 appearances and won the domestic title four times. However, he has barely played this season due to injury.
One to watch: Akram Afif. Winger is arguably Qatar's biggest star having twice been named Asian Footballer of the Year in 2019 and 2023 (he was Golden Boot winner and Best Player after scoring a hat-trick of penalties in the final at the latter) playing a key role in both Asian Cup triumphs. The 29-year-old has scored 41 goals in 132 appearances for Qatar. Plays for Qatari side Al Sadd, where he is a five-time Stars League title winner after scoring 162 goals and supplying 126 assists in 257 games. Is a two-time Qatar Stars League top-scorer.
Best World Cup finish: Played their first finals at the last World Cup as hosts when they lost all three group-stage games.
Fixtures:
- June 13 (11pm UAE): Qatar v Switzerland, Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California.
- June 18 (June 19, 2am UAE): Canada v Qatar, BC Place, Vancouver.
- June 24 (11pm UAE): Bosnia and Herzegovina v Qatar, Lumen Field, Seattle.
Switzerland
Manager: Murat Yakin. The 51-year-old has been in charge since 2021, guiding the team to the last-16 at the 2022 Qatar World Cup – where they lost 6-1 to Portugal. They were then knocked out on penalties by England in the quarter-finals of Euro 2024. Won 49 caps for Switzerland as a centre-back and has spent most of his coaching career almost entirely in his home country bar a short stint at Spartak Moscow.
Star player: Granit Xhaka. Captain of Switzerland and English club side Sunderland, the midfield anchorman is his country's record appearance holder with 144 caps. The 33-year-old has played at three World Cups and three European Championships. Xhaka's club career has seen him win multiple trophies across Europe at Basel, Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen, including a historic double with the Germans in 2023/24. Has just helped Sunderland return to European football for the first time in 53 years.
One to watch: Breel Embolo. Cameroon-born striker was Group B's leading scorer in qualification with four goals, as the Swiss finished top, taking his national-team tally to 23 in 85 caps. Club career has seen the 29-year-old win three titles in the Swiss Super League, while also scoring goals in the Bundesliga and Ligue 1. Currently plies his trade with Rennes, scoring 10 goals this season.
Best World Cup finish: Making their 13th finals appearance, the Swiss are three-time quarter-finalists – in 1934, 1938 and 1954.
Fixtures:
- June 13 (11pm UAE): Qatar v Switzerland, Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, California.
- June 18 (11pm UAE): Switzerland v Bosnia and Herzegovina, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California.
- June 24 (11pm UAE): Switzerland v Canada, BC Place, Vancouver.
