Switzerland Face Bosnia in First-Ever Meeting at World Cup 2026

The second round of the balanced Group B at the 2026 World Cup opened Thursday night at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, with Switzerland and Bosnia both chasing their first win. It was the teams’ first official meeting ever, and both sides entered the match on one point after opening 1-1 draws, Switzerland against Qatar and Bosnia against Canada.

Switzerland, led by Murat Yakin, were considered the group favorites but disappointed in the opener with a dramatic late draw. Yakin made two changes to his lineup, starting Silvan Widmer and Fabian Rieder in place of Denis Zakaria and Ruben Vargas. The Swiss began with Gregor Kobel in goal, and the rest of the starting attack included Breel Embolo and Dan Ndoye.

Bosnia, coached by Sergej Barbarez, came in seeking a 10th straight match without defeat. Edin Dzeko had recovered in time and was making his tournament debut, while Sead Kolasinac, who had been doubtful, started in defense. Bosnia lined up in a 4-4-2 with Nikola Vasilj in goal.

The match was refereed by Joao Pinheiro of Portugal. After this round, Canada were scheduled to face Qatar in Vancouver on June 19 at 1:00 a.m., while the final Group B matches were set for June 24, with Switzerland against Canada in Vancouver and Bosnia against Qatar in Seattle, both at 10:00 p.m.