Group B contains the second of the three host nations, with Canada facing off against Bosnia, Switzerland and 2022 hosts Qatar. Bosnia qualified for the tournament by seeing off four-time world champions Italy, a shock that eliminated one of the biggest names in international football. In doing so, it leaves Switzerland as favourites to top the group. A nation that qualified flawlessly and has victories over France, Italy and Spain in recent tournaments. Qatar return to the World Cup having actually qualified on-field for this tournament, but after a poor showing on home soil last time out, I do not expect much of an improvement this time around.

Canada

World Ranking: 30

Most Capped Player: Atiba Hutchinson

Top Goalscorer: Jonathan David

Former Leeds United and RB Leipzig coach Jesse Marsch takes his Canadian team into the nations third ever World Cup tournament. The previous two attempts (1986 and 2022) resulted in 6 losses from 6 matches played, so an upturn in form will be a necessity. Marsch will hope to be able to steer the host nation past the group stages, however they will enter the tournament as the third-favourite to progress from this particular group. A host of well-known names across European football, Canada possess some real quality in areas, none more so than all-time top goalscorer Jonathan David and long-term Bayern Munich full-back Alphonso Davies. The Canadians last international period saw them play out draws against both Iceland and Tunisia. A 2-2 and 0-0 result respectively, Marsch will hope his side can find some winning form against Uzbekistan and Ireland in their final World Cup warm-ups.

Key Players

Juventus forward Jonathan David will be the key attacking threat for the Canadian side. The all-time top goalscorer for his country, David has scored 39 goals in 75 internationals for his country, a respectable goal every other game record. Before his move to Juventus he appeared on many of the top European teams’ radars after impressive campaigns with French side Lille. Whilst he has seemingly struggled for goalscoring form this year with the Italian giants, David will remain the key focal point in front of goal.

Arguably the most well-known name in the Canadian squad will be Bayern Munich full-back Alphonso Davies. He will undoubtedly be one of the most dynamic players at the tournament. Electric pace compared with a confident directness, his threat on the left-side will be sure to generate some home supporter excitement. The only real question mark that remains above his head will be his ability to remain healthy throughout the tournament.

Cyle Larin, who spent the year on loan in the English championship with Southampton will be the second striking option for the national team. Sitting second all-time in the goalscoring ranks for his country, Larin and David will be looking to fire their country into the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time in the nations history. Another recognisable name for people in the United Kingdom at least will be Alistair Johnston. The Canadian right-back has been contracted to Scottish champions Celtic since 2023.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

World Ranking: 65

Most Capped Player: Edin Dzeko

Top Goalscorer: Edin Dzeko

Similarly to the Czech Republic from Group A, Bosnia ultimately rode their luck en route to qualification for the big event. A penalty shoot-out victory over Wales in Cardiff was rewarded with a home fixture against European giants Italy. A game in which Bosnia trailed, they pulled the game back after Italian central defender Alessandro Bastoni was sent off. A second penalty shoot-out was to follow and it was the Bosnians who held their nerve to see off the four-time world champions and guarantee their own qualification. A second ever World Cup appearance for the nation, they will hope to be able to see off the so-called weaker teams in this group to progress to the knockout stages for the first ever time. Top goalscorer Edin Dzeko will likely appear at the summer show-piece, a statistic that is made all the more impressive by the fact he has turned 40 years of age. Coach Sergej Barbarez is happy to do whatever it takes for his team to be victorious, whether that be a physical, direct approach, or a more conservative park-the-bus approach.

Key Players

As mentioned above, top goalscorer and record appearance holder Edin Dzeko will be looking to add further to both of his records in North America. A forward who made his name in the Bundesliga before a career-making move to the Premier League really put the Bosnians name on the map. He has always possessed the innate ability to score goals, nearly 300 scored across the entirety of his club football career. A forward who can play with his back to goal, but is also comfortable with the ball at his feet, he will possess the ever-looming threat for the Bosnian team.

Ermedin Demirovic will likely be paired up-front alongside the ageing Dzeko, and will be likely expected to make-up the majority of the running and defensive high-pressing. He has played the majority of his club career in Germany and his goalscoring record has not been too bad domestically. Internationally however, his prowess in front of goal remains to be seen, averaging a goal in nearly every 10 appearances; a record that will need improving once the longstanding Dzeko has moved on.

You would expect three points is a necessity in the group opener against Canada. If that is to happen, qualification should be almost guaranteed with a fixture against minnows Qatar still to come.

Qatar

World Ranking: 55

Most Capped Player: Hassan Al-Haydos

Top Goalscorer: Almoez Ali

Qatar qualified for this years tournament on-field for their second-ever World Cup campaign. The 2022 campaign, they hosted, so qualified automatically. However they were the first team to be eliminated during the tournament and subsequently were the worst performing host nation in the history of the World Cup. Due to conflicts across the region this year, Qatar have yet to play a competitive match after friendlies with Serbia and Argentina were both cancelled in the March international period. Former Spain and Real Madrid coach Julen Lopetegui has been at the helm since May 2025, but he has a job on his hands to avoid another disastrous campaign. The Qatari side does possess a number of well-experienced players with numerous squad members being capped over 100 times for the national side.

Key Players

Akram Afif will likely be the primary attacking weapon in the Qatari squad this summer. A player with the ability to float across all three of the attacking positions that Lopetegui will likely set-up with, Afif is a forward that is suited to the modern game and the fluidity that attacking players are required to possess. He made history 2016 when he became the first-ever Qatari-born signing in La Liga history but he never made a single appearance for the Yellow Submarine and only ever made 9 appearances in Spain altogether. Since 2018 he has been playing for Al Sadd in the top level of Qatari club football and his scoring record is nothing short of incredible. A grand total of 151 appearances for the Qatari club, he has been on the score-sheet a whopping 128 times.

Qatari top goalscorer Almoez Ali will likely lead the line in a more traditional sense to that of Afif. Whilst Afif is the more fluid and is often positionless, Ali will likely be the central striker. Another of the squad who plies his trade in the Qatar Stars League, his scoring record does not quite live up to that of Afif, however he does score every other game for the national side. To highlight his ability to score goals, he holds to second fastest time to score four goals in Asian Cup history, a four-goal span in the space of 51 minutes against North Korea in 2019.

Record appearance holder Hassan Al-Haydos will be a big part of providing experience for the Qatari squad. Despite briefly retiring in 2025, Al-Haydos has returned to the international football scene. He has spent the entirety of his career playing for Al-Sadd in the Qatari league and has scored over 100 goals for his domestic side.

If Qatar are to have any chance of a first-ever World Cup victory, the key to victory will be undoubtedly going through Afif.

Switzerland

World Ranking: 19

Most Capped Player: Granit Xhaka

Top Goalscorer: Alexander Frei

The highest ranked nation in Group B and a nation that have appeared at thirteen World Cup tournaments in their history, Switzerland are a staple of consistency when it comes to both World Cup qualification and tournament play. They are yet to miss a World Cup since 2022. The March international period saw the Swiss push a German side all the way in a 4-3 loss, a game in which Switzerland led on three seperate occasions before throwing the game away in the latter stages. That was followed up with a stalemate draw away to Norway, however those results are not indicative of how the Swiss had been performing prior to those matches. A system built around a 4-2-3-1 the Swiss will turn up in North America with a number of highly recognisable faces. Experienced midfielder Granit Xhaka will provide the stability in midfield and provide the experience across the World Cup squad.

Key Players

Leading the line will be Rennes forward Breel Embolo. He broke onto the international scene as a teenager and was a highly touted youngster in the European leagues during that time. He has spent the majority of his career spanning across Germany and France and whilst he is maybe not the most prolific goalscorer, he does pose a threat as the lead forward. A forward not afraid to be physical, a strongly built forward who can play both ways. With his back to goal he has the strength to be patient and bring others into the attack, but he can also lead the line with a more direct approach.

Granit Xhaka will remain an integral part of the Swiss squad. Capped 144 times by his country, he will captain them in the summer. An experienced domestic football in the top leagues of Europe, he was apart of Bayer Leverkusen’s historic unbeaten season in the Bundesliga and since moving to Sunderland has helped steer them to European football within his first season. A physical midfielder, who is comfortable on the ball and possesses a potential weapon of a long-range strike. His only negative can be his proclivity to picking up silly yellow card offences.

The Swiss will be favourites to top the group and doing so will provide them a better opponent heading into the knock-out phases.

Defensively, Manuel Akanji, Fabian Schar and Ricardo Rodriguez will likely make-up three of a back four. Rodriguez brings a decades worth of international football experience and he possesses a wonderfully gifted left foot, which if you want to, is highlighted through plenty of his moments throughout his career. Schar has been struggling with injuries throughout this season, however, if he arrives at the World Cup healthy he will be a key-part of that backline. Behind those will be Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, who has now claimed the Swiss number one shirt for his own after Yann Sommer’s retirement.

Group B Fixtures (GMT Time)

Canada vs Bosnia – Friday, 12 June 2026 – 7pm

Qatar vs Switzerland – Saturday, 13 June 2026 – 7pm

Switzerland vs Bosnia – Thursday, 18 June 2026 – 7pm

Canada vs Qatar – Thursday, 18 June 2026 – 10pm

Switzerland vs Canada – Wednesday, 24 June 2026 – 7pm

Bosnia vs Qatar – Wednesday, 24 June 2026 – 7pm

Group Prediction

1. Switzerland
2. Bosnia
3. Canada
4. Qatar