Canada and Switzerland are strong contenders.

Switzerland's squad quality is considered the best in Group B. Photo: Bongdaplus

Currently, Canadian soccer boasts a "golden generation." Under the guidance of coach Jesse Marsch, the team has developed a youthful, fast-paced, and energetic style of play, with Alphonso Davies – the Bayern Munich full-back – being the most dangerous attacking threat thanks to his speed, technique, and ability to create breakthroughs. Up front, Jonathan David continues to be the number one hope, with his proven goal-scoring ability demonstrated while playing for Lille (France) and Juventus (Italy).

In the central midfield position, Stephen Eustaquio (on loan to Los Angeles FC from Porto, Portugal) plays a key role in controlling the tempo of the game, while Ismael Kone (Sassuolo, Italy) is considered a representative of the promising young generation of players.

With a quality squad and modern playing style, home advantage is expected to help Canada advance after failing to progress beyond the group stage twice (in 1986 and 2022). However, this also presents significant pressure for the young players on their home turf.

For Switzerland, the 2026 World Cup marks their 13th appearance in history and their 6th consecutive time at the biggest football event on the planet.

Under coach Murat Yakin, Switzerland continued to maintain their signature style of play: disciplined and pragmatic, based on a central axis with goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, center-back Manuel Akanji, midfielder Granit Xhaka, and striker Breel Embolo. During their qualifying campaign, Switzerland remained unbeaten with 4 wins and 2 draws, conceding only 2 goals in 6 matches.

However, Switzerland's weakness lies in the lack of a standout player, or rather, a superstar capable of making a difference when facing strong opponents. That's a different story, though, when they advance further in the tournament and face title contenders. Currently, barring any major upsets, Switzerland is more than capable of securing one of the two direct qualification spots.

Bosnia & Herzegovina, Qatar - "unknown quantity" or "stepping stones"?

Will Qatar spring a surprise? Photo: FIFA

Following their first appearance in 2014, this is Bosnia & Herzegovina's second time participating in the World Cup. Notably, the Balkan representative's journey to qualify was filled with emotional runs in the play-off rounds, including overcoming the formidable Italy in a penalty shootout.

Although lacking truly standout names, apart from the two aging strikers Edin Dzeko and Sead Kolasinac, under the guidance of coach Sergej Barbarez, the Balkan warriors have shown themselves to be a cohesive team with a tenacious fighting spirit that has made many "big teams" wary in attacking matches.

Meanwhile, after a disappointing 2022 World Cup on home soil, Qatar quickly marked their return by qualifying thanks to a pragmatic playing style, focusing on defense and counter-attacks rather than the open and somewhat spontaneous style of play they had before.

Under coach Julen Lopetegui, Qatar possesses a higher-quality squad compared to 2022. However, despite this, besides a still somewhat fragile defense, the experience and class of the West Asian strikers cannot yet be compared to the three opponents in the same group. Therefore, even with Akram Afif and Almoez Ali – the heart and soul of the team – their chances of advancing are not highly rated.

A surprise awaits

With a core group including Granit Xhaka, Manuel Akanji, Gregor Kobel, and Breel Embolo, Switzerland is considered the strongest team in Group B. Against Canada, Switzerland is considered slightly superior due to their experience and composure. Against Bosnia and Qatar, they are capable of dominating the game if they maintain their consistency.

Meanwhile, Canada enters the tournament with home advantage and the most talented generation of players in their history. However, their weakness lies in their defense. Against Qatar or Bosnia, Canada can exploit their speed to make a difference, but against Switzerland, they will face a real test of their mental fortitude.

Although Bosnia & Herzegovina is considered the "dark horse" of the group, their squad lacks depth and relies heavily on older players, so the most realistic goal for the Balkan team is to accumulate points to become the third-best-performing team among the eight in the group stage.

As for Qatar, despite being quite effective in set pieces and counter-attacking, the difference in class and defensive capabilities remains their Achilles' heel. This makes it difficult for the West Asian team to advance after the group stage matches.

But in football, surprises are always present. Therefore, another scenario could unfold: Canada failing to demonstrate their true strength in must-win matches; Qatar unexpectedly abandoning their pragmatic style to switch to an impromptu high-pressure pressing game that stuns their opponents; Bosnia & Herzegovina showing themselves to be tough veterans and confidently advancing through the group stage with direct qualification; while Switzerland's disciplined yet rigid style of play prevents them from deciding the outcome of the match…

And that's exactly what fans have been waiting for.

World Cup 2026 Group B fixtures (Vietnam time):

Round 1:

2:00 a.m. (June 13): Canada – Bosnia & Herzegovina

2 PM (June 14th): Qatar – Switzerland

Round 2:

2:00 PM (June 19): Switzerland - Bosnia & Herzegovina

5am ​​(June 19): Canada – Qatar

Round 3:

2 PM (June 25th): Switzerland – Canada

2 a.m. (June 25): Bosnia & Herzegovina - Qatar

HAN DANG

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/the-thao/bong-da/kich-ban-kho-luong-166235.html