2026 FIFA World Cup Group B: Schedule, Standings & Prediction
The 2026 FIFA World Cup breaks new ground as the first tournament with 48 teams playing across three countries. Group B brings together Canada as co-host, Switzerland, Qatar, and one European team still fighting for their spot.
Games take place from June 12 to June 24 in five North American cities. Canada finally gets to play a World Cup on home soil after waiting decades. Switzerland comes in as the top-ranked team with plenty of tournament experience.
Qatar wants to erase the memory of their terrible 2022 showing. The last spot goes to either Italy, Wales, Northern Ireland, or Bosnia after March playoffs.
Group B Match Schedule & Fixtures
| DATE | MATCH | MATCHDAY | TIME (ET) | VENUE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, June 12 | Canada vs UEFA Playoff A | Matchday 1 | 3:00 PM | BMO Field, Toronto |
| Saturday, June 13 | Qatar vs Switzerland | Matchday 1 | 3:00 PM | Levi’s Stadium, San Francisco |
| Wednesday, June 18 | Switzerland vs UEFA Playoff A | Matchday 2 | 3:00 PM | SoFi Stadium, Los Angeles |
| Wednesday, June 18 | Canada vs Qatar | Matchday 2 | 6:00 PM | BC Place, Vancouver |
| Tuesday, June 24 | Switzerland vs Canada | Matchday 3 | 3:00 PM | BC Place, Vancouver |
| Tuesday, June 24 | UEFA Playoff A vs Qatar | Matchday 3 | 3:00 PM | Lumen Field, Seattle |
Toronto’s BMO Field kicks things off with Canada’s opener in front of 30,000 screaming fans. San Francisco brings Levi’s Stadium into the mix with room for 68,500 people. Los Angeles provides SoFi Stadium and its massive 70,000 seats.
Vancouver hosts twice at BC Place with 54,500 capacity. Seattle rounds out the venues with Lumen Field holding 68,740 spectators. All five stadiums offer world-class facilities and great sightlines for fans.
Group B Standings & Qualification Rules
Current Standings Table
| POS | TEAM | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Switzerland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Canada | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | UEFA Playoff A | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Qatar | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The first two teams in Group B move straight to the Round of 32. Third place might also advance as one of eight best third-place teams from all groups combined. Wins give teams three points. Draws give one point. Losses give zero points. Pretty simple math there.
Tiebreaker Rules
Teams sitting on the same number of points get separated by specific rules in this exact order:
- Results between the tied teams only
- Goal difference across all three group games
- Total goals scored in the group stage
- Fair play score from yellow and red cards (yellow costs 1 point, straight red costs 4 points)
- FIFA ranking position
Most groups get decided before reaching the fair play tiebreaker. Goal difference usually settles things after head-to-head results. Teams need to watch their discipline though because cards can decide advancement in rare cases.
World Cup Group B Team Analysis, Preview & History
Canada (FIFA Ranking: 41)
Canada walks into this tournament with something big to prove. They played at two World Cups before this one and never won a single game. Back in Mexico during 1986, they lost to France, Hungary, and the Soviet Union without scoring once. Things went a bit better in Qatar 2022 but they still dropped all three matches to Belgium, Croatia, and Morocco.
Alphonso Davies finally broke through with Canada’s first World Cup goal against Croatia in 2022. The Bayern Munich defender plays way up the field and uses his blazing speed to create chances. Jonathan David scores goals regularly for Lille in France and leads the attack. Jesse Marsch coaches the team now after working in Germany and America.
Scoring goals remains Canada’s biggest problem. Two goals in six World Cup games tells you everything. The fans in Toronto and Vancouver will create an insane atmosphere though. Players feed off that energy and raise their game. Canada needs to beat Qatar no matter what. Then they can fight for draws or maybe even wins against the other two teams.
Switzerland (FIFA Ranking: 17)
Switzerland shows up as the clear favorite based on rankings and results. They made 12 World Cups total with three quarterfinal appearances as their peak. The last three tournaments all saw Switzerland reach the Round of 16 before bowing out. They know how to navigate group stages without drama.
Granit Xhaka runs the midfield and wears the captain’s armband. Xherdan Shaqiri played in 12 World Cup matches over multiple tournaments. Manuel Akanji won trophies with Manchester City before joining the national team. Yann Sommer stops shots in goal with reliable performances.
Switzerland went 559 minutes without allowing a World Cup goal from 2006 to 2010. That record still stands today. They got knocked out in 2006 despite never giving up a goal in regular time. Switzerland plays tight defense and controls possession. They beat the teams they should beat. The problem comes against top countries in knockout rounds where they keep losing.
Qatar (FIFA Ranking: 51)
Qatar enters with bad memories from 2022 still fresh. They hosted the whole tournament and became the worst host country ever performance-wise. Three straight losses. Zero points. Just one goal scored. Ecuador, Senegal, and the Netherlands all crushed them pretty easily.
This time Qatar actually qualified through the normal Asian route. They topped their group by beating UAE and Oman. Real progress happened even if the 2022 results were ugly. Qatar won the Asian Cup in both 2019 and 2023. They gave up only one goal through seven games during the 2019 tournament. Almoez Ali banged in nine goals to win the golden boot. Hassan Al-Haydos captains the squad with lots of experience.
Group B gives Qatar a mountain to climb. They rank dead last among the four teams. Better opponents await than what they saw in 2022. Just getting one point or one goal would beat expectations. Most experts think they finish fourth again.
UEFA Playoff Path A Winner
Four European teams battle for the last Group B spot through playoffs in March 2026. Italy hosts Northern Ireland on March 26. Wales hosts Bosnia and Herzegovina the same day. Winners meet on March 31 for the World Cup ticket.
Italy stands head and shoulders above the others. Four World Cup trophies sit in their cabinet from 1934, 1938, 1982, and 2006. They missed the last two tournaments which shocked everyone. Italy ranks 12th globally and fields way more talent. They won Euro 2020 then failed to qualify for Qatar after losing to North Macedonia. Getting back to the World Cup means everything to them.
Wales played in Qatar 2022 and made the Round of 16. They rank 32nd with decent players. Northern Ireland sits at 69th and last played World Cups back in 1986. Bosnia and Herzegovina checks in at 71st after one appearance in 2014. Italy should cruise through these playoffs unless something crazy happens.
World Cup 2026 Group B Predictions
Predicted Final Standings
| POS | TEAM | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Switzerland | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 7 |
| 2 | Canada | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 7 |
| 3 | Italy/UEFA | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| 4 | Qatar | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | -6 | 0 |
Switzerland takes first place through superior goal management and smart play. They beat Qatar easily and draw with both Canada and the European team. Seven points usually wins any group or puts you right at the top.
Canada grabs second place thanks to home crowds and improved quality. They edge the European winner in Toronto then destroy Qatar in Vancouver. The Switzerland match ends level with both teams happy to take a point. Seven points for Canada too but worse goal difference drops them to second.
Italy or whoever wins the playoff lands in third with four points. They beat Qatar comfortably but can’t overcome Switzerland or Canada. Four points should be enough for one of those eight best third-place spots. They advance to the Round of 32 anyway.
Qatar goes home winless again. Three losses. Maybe one or two goals scored. The competition proves too strong despite their Asian Cup success. Zero points means early elimination for the second straight World Cup.
Key Factors & Matches to Watch
Key Factors
Playing at home gives Canada a huge edge they never had before. Thousands of Canadian fans will pack Toronto and Vancouver wearing red and singing loud. That type of support lifts teams to better performances. Canada needs to use this advantage because it won’t come around again for decades.
Italy qualifying changes the whole group dynamic. Four-time champions bring way more threat than Wales or Northern Ireland. Switzerland and Canada both want Italy to lose those playoffs. The March 31 result tells us if Group B becomes super competitive or stays manageable.
Canada must figure out how to score goals. Zero in 1986. Two in 2022. That pattern can’t continue. Davies and David need to finish chances. One goal per game might not cut it. Two or three goals against Qatar becomes mandatory.
Switzerland keeps doing the same thing every tournament. Solid defense. Patient buildup. Make it to the Round of 16. Then lose to someone better. Can they finally break that pattern and reach the quarterfinals?
Matches to Watch
Canada vs UEFA Playoff Winner (June 12) – Everything starts here for Canada at home in Toronto. BMO Field will explode with noise from kickoff to final whistle. Canada never won a World Cup match through six tries. This game gives them the perfect chance. Beating Wales or Northern Ireland seems doable. Beating Italy would shock the world.
Switzerland vs Canada (June 24) – The group winner probably gets decided here. Both teams should have points in the bank already. First place means staying in Vancouver for the next round. Second place means traveling somewhere else to face a tougher team. Goals matter for tiebreakers so both teams will attack some.
Canada vs Qatar (June 18) – Canada absolutely has to win this one. Qatar represents the weakest opponent by far. Three points here keeps Canada alive heading into the final match. Losing would be a disaster. Vancouver fans will push the team forward. Expect Canada to score multiple goals.
2026 FIFA World Cup Group B FAQs
Which teams are in World Cup Group B?
Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, and one European playoff winner make up the group. The playoff teams are Italy, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. March 31, 2026 decides the fourth team.
How many teams advance from Group B?
Two teams advance automatically. The third-place team might also advance as one of eight best third-place teams from all groups.
Where will Group B matches be played?
Toronto, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Vancouver, and Seattle host the six group matches across five different stadiums.
Who is favored to win Group B?
Switzerland ranks highest at 17th globally. Their World Cup experience makes them favorites. Canada could finish second with home advantage helping them.
Has Canada ever won a World Cup match?
Not yet. Six matches played across 1986 and 2022 with zero wins. Alphonso Davies scored their first goal in 2022 against Croatia.
What happened to Qatar at the 2022 World Cup?
Qatar set records for worst host performance ever. Three losses, zero points, eliminated after two games. They scored one goal across three matches.
Group B sets up some great stories for summer 2026. Canada finally plays a World Cup at home with real chances to advance.
Switzerland brings steady quality and tournament know-how. Qatar tries to wash away the 2022 disaster. The European playoff adds mystery until March.
Switzerland and Canada should move forward. Home support makes the difference for Canadian soccer history.
