Switzerland enters the World Cup as the favorite to win Group B, and today's matchup against Qatar offers an opportunity to immediately justify that status.
Qatar arrives with limited recent match experience and faces a significant jump in competition.
My Switzerland vs. Qatar predictions break down why the Swiss are well-positioned to control the match from the opening whistle and create plenty of scoring chances.
Read on for my World Cup picks for Saturday, June 13, with kickoff set for 3:00 p.m. ET on FOX.
TOP PICK
Who will win Switzerland vs Qatar: Switzerland -2.5 (+161)
Qatar was forced to cancel spring friendlies with Argentina, Serbia, and Sudan due to the ongoing Middle East conflict.
As a result, they’ve played just twice since early December of 2025. That lack of time together was evident in their May 28 friendly with Ireland and their friendly against El Salvador this past weekend.
El Salvador is ranked 100th in the FIFA rankings, but they were by far the better side. Qatar managed just one effort on goal, and looked incohesive despite nearly 60% possession.
The World Cup odds have Switzerland heavily favored as the more talented team in a strong run of form. They’ve lost one of 14 matches since the start of 2025, with the last four outings coming against World Cup opponents.
They have proven high-level talent in all four aspects of their 4-2-3-1 setup, led in the midfield by Granit Xhaka’s poise and playmaking.
Qatar have struggled to defend centrally on a consistent basis, and Johan Manzambi will give them fits with his creativity.
Switzerland should dominate the ball and win it back quickly, which means plenty of possession and goal-scoring opportunities. With goal differential being a key tiebreaker, I’m expecting the Swiss to pour it on and win this one easily.
I would play it north of +150.
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Switzerland vs Qatar Over/Under Pick: Over 2.5 (-140)
I’m not expecting Qatar to score in this match, which is why I’m favoring the spread over the total—but obviously the total will hit if the spread does.
Everything that Qatar will look to do offensively will operate through Akram Afif. Whether he lines up centrally or on the left, his pace gives them a strong outlet on the counter-attack.
That said, Swiss RB Silvan Widmer loves to push up in attack. If Nico Elvedi and Manuel Akanji don’t properly cover that space when he vacates it, it allows Qatar a path to a goal.
Qatar has leaked scoring chances and goals since the 2022 World Cup. Their back line and midfield all play domestically in Qatar, and are simply overmatched in terms of talent.
That can be overcome by a solid structure, but Qatar lacks that. It’s a key reason why there’s a massive gap between their ELO ranking of 97th and their FIFA ranking of 55th.
The Swiss bagged three goals vs. Germany in the spring and defeated Sweden 4-1 in World Cup qualifying last fall. Their recent friendly with Jordan also saw them claim a 4-1 win.
They can carry this total on their own, and I’ll back the Over to -150.
Switzerland vs Qatar goal scorer pick
Dan Ndoye (+163)
Nottingham Forest winger Dan Ndoye has been one of the first names on the teamsheet for Switzerland, and for good reason. His first-half strike against Australia this weekend was their only goal of the match, and marked the fourth time in six matches he’s scored for his national side.
Ndoye scored two goals during World Cup qualifying despite taking just nine shots, but he’s been heavily involved in the attack in recent outings. He found the target with three of his four shots vs. Australia in just 45 minutes of action.
Ndoye is comfortable playing on either side of the Swiss attack. His ability to create his own shot and finish with either foot makes him great value against this overmatched Qatar defense.
Switzerland vs Qatar projected lineup
Switzerland (4-2-3-1): Kobel; Widmer, Elvedi, Akanji, Rodriguez; Freuler, Xhaka; Ndoye, Aebischer, Manzambi; Amdouni
Qatar (4-3-3): Abunada; Al Oui, Miguel, Khoukhi, Elamin; Gaber, Fathi, Laye; Abdurisag, Afif, Edmilson Junior
Switzerland vs Qatar injuries
Switzerland: No injuries to report.
Qatar: No injuries to report.
Switzerland vs Qatar weather
Weather conditions at Levi's Stadium are expected to be about 79 degrees and sunny with no rain.
Switzerland vs Qatar odds
 Qatar |
 Switzerland |
|
|---|---|---|
| -426 | Moneyline | -426 |
| +416 | Draw | +614 |
| Over 2.5 (-133) | Total | Under 2.5 (+127) |
Odds courtesy of Kalshi.
How to watch Switzerland vs Qatar
Check out FIFA's official 2026 World Cup website for more information.
| Location | Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, CA |
| Date | Saturday, June 13, 2026 |
| Time | 3:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | FOX |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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