Shock in Switzerland After 1-1 Draw With Qatar

Switzerland were stunned on Saturday night after opening their 2026 World Cup group-stage campaign with a disappointing 1-1 draw against Qatar. The Swiss led for most of the match, but were caught in stoppage time and came away empty-handed emotionally, despite taking a point.

Swiss media reacted harshly. Twenty Min said the team was not prepared and praised Qatar coach Luis Garcia, whose game plan, it said, worked well: Qatar created several excellent chances, missed them, and then Switzerland paid the price. The outlet called it very painful to start a tournament this way.

Blick was even more severe, writing, “It is simply a joke.” It said Switzerland were playing against a national team that, in its view, does not belong at tournaments like this, and argued there was no excuse for failing to win. The paper said the team expected to win by a wide margin, only to be punished in the end, which it described as extremely frustrating.

RTS also slammed the performance, calling it a terrible start to a major tournament. It acknowledged the missed chances and bad luck, but said Switzerland played poorly and deserved the punishment. SRF offered a more optimistic take, calling it a costly loss of points but saying it is better to happen now than in the decisive stages, and hoping the result serves as a wake-up call for everyone.