The story

Qatar have not won 13 of their 16 most recent matches and have failed to score at all in their last five home games, while Akram Afif — their highest-rated player across that same stretch — is absent from the squad. Switzerland return to the World Cup for the first time in 1,285 days, and Granit Xhaka and Ricardo Rodríguez will not be part of their side, with four of the last five head-to-head meetings finishing under 2.5 goals.