Team profile & squad
World Cup Group B betting preview & free tips
Switzerland are narrow favourites to win Group B at the FIFA World Cup, with Murat Yakin’s side priced at 2.00 to finish top of a competitive section also featuring Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Qatar.
The Swiss are also 1.08 to qualify for the Round of 32 with international betting sites, reflecting their recent consistency at World Cups. Switzerland have reached the knockout stage at each of the past three tournaments and will be expected to advance again.
Canada are the second favourites to top Group B at 3.20 and are priced at 1.20 to qualify. Jesse Marsch’s side will have home advantage and open their campaign in Toronto against Bosnia and Herzegovina before facing Qatar and Switzerland in Vancouver.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, priced at 4.50 to win the group and 1.40 to qualify, look the danger side. They return to the World Cup for the first time since 2014 after a dramatic UEFA play-off campaign and have enough experience to put pressure on both Switzerland and Canada.
Qatar are outsiders at 21.00 to win Group B and 3.20 to qualify, but they arrive with recent World Cup experience and will be looking to improve sharply on their 2022 group-stage exit.
Group B Squads
🇨🇭Switzerland
- Manager: Murat Yakin
- Captain: Granit Xhaka
- Group B winner odds: 2.00
- Qualify Group B odds: 1.08
Switzerland are the class side in Group B on recent World Cup evidence, having reached the Round of 16 at each of the last three tournaments. Murat Yakin’s team topped their UEFA qualifying group unbeaten and should be organised enough to control large periods of this section. Granit Xhaka, who will be playing at his fourth World Cup, and Remo Freuler have had good chemistry for years in the midfield and loom as a key to Switzerland’s progress.
Confederation: UEFA
Best World Cup: Quarter-finals (1934, 1938, 1954)
World Cup qualifications: 13 (1934, 1938, 1950, 1954, 1962, 1966, 1994, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026)
Overall World Cup record: P41 W14 D8 L19 F55 A73
How they qualified: Switzerland topped UEFA qualifying Group B ahead of Sweden, Slovenia and Kosovo, finishing unbeaten with four wins and two draws.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Gregor Kobel (Borussia Dortmund), Yvon Mvogo (Lorient), Marvin Keller (Young Boys)
Defenders: Manuel Akanji (Inter Milan), Nico Elvedi (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Ricardo Rodriguez (Real Betis), Silvan Widmer (Mainz), Miro Muheim (Hamburger SV), Aurèle Amenda (Eintracht Frankfurt), Eray Cömert (Valencia), Luca Jaquez (Stuttgart)
Midfielders: Granit Xhaka (Sunderland), Johan Manzambi (Freiburg), Remo Freuler (Bologna), Denis Zakaria (Monaco), Ardon Jashari (AC Milan), Djibril Sow (Sevilla), Christian Fassnacht (Young Boys), Michel Aebischer (Pisa), Fabian Rieder (Augsburg), Rubén Vargas (Sevilla)
Forwards: Breel Embolo (Rennes), Noah Okafor (Leeds), Dan Ndoye (Nottingham Forest), Zeki Amdouni (Burnley), Cedric Itten (Fortuna Dusseldorf)
🇨🇦 Canada
- Manager: Jesse Marsch
- Captain: Alphonso Davies
- Group B winner odds: 3.20
- Qualify Group B odds: 1.20
Canada are preparing for the biggest football moment in the nation’s history as they host World Cup matches for the first time. After returning to the tournament in 2022, the Canadians are now chasing their first World Cup victory and should be highly dangerous with home support behind them. Canada first reached the World Cup in 1986 and did not play again until four years ago. With a home crowd behind them, arguably their best-ever squad and importantly more experience behind them, this looms as their best opportunity to reach the knockout stage.
Confederation: Concacaf
Best World Cup: Group stage (1986, 2022)
World Cup qualifications: 3 (1986, 2022, 2026)
Overall World Cup record: P6 W0 D0 L6 F2 A12
How they qualified: Canada secured automatic qualification as a co-host nation alongside Mexico and the United States.
Squad: Still to be announced
🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina
- Manager: Sergej Barbarez
- Captain: Edin Dzeko
- Group B winner odds: 4.50
- Qualify Group B odds: 1.40
Bosnia and Herzegovina return to the World Cup for the first time since 2014 (which was their first appearance) and shape as the major threat to the Switzerland-Canada forecast. Edin Dzeko remains the headline figure and, if he plays in the opener, he could become only the second outfield player aged 40 or over to appear at a World Cup. If Bosnia and Herzegovina are to advance into the knockouts they will need their young stars Kerim Alajbegovic and Esmir Bajraktarevic to live up to potential. The electric Alajbegovic, who plays for RB Salzburg, has already scored a dozen goals for his club side before he turns 19.
Confederation: UEFA
Best World Cup: Group stage (2014)
World Cup qualifications: 2 (2014, 2026)
Overall World Cup record: P3 W1 D0 L2 F4 A4
How they qualified: Bosnia and Herzegovina came through the UEFA play-offs, beating Wales and Italy on penalties to secure only the second World Cup appearance in the nation’s history.
Squad: Goalkeepers: Nikola Vasilj (St Pauli), Martin Zlomislic (Rijeka), Osman Hadzikic (Slaven Belupo)
Defenders: Sead Kolasinac (Atalanta), Amar Dedic (Benfica), Nihad Mujakic (Gaziantep), Nikola Katic (Schalke 04), Tarik Muharemovic (Sassuolo), Stjepan Radeljic (Rijeka), Dennis Hadzikadunic (Sampdoria), Nidal Celik (Lens)
Midfielders: Amir Hadziahmetovic (Hull City), Ivan Sunjic (Pafos), Ivan Basic (Astana), Dzenis Burnic (Karlsruher SC), Ermin Mahmic (Slovan Liberec), Benjamin Tahirovic (Brondby), Amar Memic (Viktoria Plzen), Armin Gigovic (Young Boys), Kerim Alajbegovic (RB Salzburg), Esmir Bajraktarevic (PSV Eindhoven)
Forwards: Ermedin Demirovic (VfB Stuttgart), Jovo Lukic (Universitatea Cluj), Samed Bazdar (Jagiellonia Bialystok), Haris Tabakovic (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Edin Dzeko (Schalke 04)
🇶🇦 Qatar
- Manager: Julen Lopetegui
- Captain: Hassan Al-Haydos
- Group B winner odds: 21.00
- Qualify Group B odds: 3.20
Qatar are the clear outsiders in Group B but should not be dismissed completely. After debuting as hosts in 2022, they have now qualified on merit for the first time and will be aiming to show they belong at this level. Qatar does not have the star power of Switzerland or Canada, without much big-time experience. But Lopetegui has them working together and they are very well organised. If Group B teams are off their game at all Al-Annabi (the Maroon) has the potential to strike. Ayoub Al-Alawi is a player to watch in Qatar’s line-up, wth European clubs sure to be keeping a keen eye on the young midfelder.
Confederation: Asian Football Confederation (AFC)
Best World Cup: Group stage (2022)
World Cup qualifications: 2 (2022, 2026)
Overall World Cup record: P3 W0 D0 L3 F1 A7
How they qualified: Qatar advanced through the fourth round of Asian qualifying, drawing with Oman before beating the United Arab Emirates 2-1 to seal top spot in their group.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Shehab Elleithy (Al Shahania), Salah Zakaria (Al Duhail), Meshaal Barsham (Al Sadd), Mahmoud Abunada (Al Rayyan)
Defenders: Boualem Khoukhi (Al Sadd), Pedro Miguel (Al Sadd), Sultan Al Brake (Al Duhail), Tarek Salman (Al Sadd), Al-Hashmi Al-Hussain (Al Arabi), Ayoub Al-Alawi (Al Gharafa), Bassam Al-Rawi (Al Duhail), Rayyan Al-Ali (Al Gharafa), Issa Laye (Al Arabi), Lucas Mendes (Al Wakrah), Mohammed Waad (Al Shamal), Niall Mason (Qatar)
Midfielders: Ahmed Fathi (Al Arabi), Jassim Gaber (Al Rayyan), Assim Madibo (Al Wakrah), Abdulaziz Hatem (Al Rayyan), Karim Boudiaf (Al Duhail), Mohammed Mannai (Al Shamal), Homam Al-Amin (Cultural Leonesa)
Forwards: Almoez Ali (Al Duhail), Akram Afif (Al Sadd), Tahsin Mohammed (Al Duhail), Edmílson Junior (Al Duhail), Ahmed Al-Ganehi (Al Gharafa), Ahmed Alaa (Al Rayyan), Sebastián Soria (Qatar), Hassan Al-Haydos (Al Sadd), Mubarak Shannan (Al Duhail), Mohammed Muntari (Al Gharafa), Yusuf Abdurisag (Al Wakrah)
Group B teams, match-ups and betting preview
Teams: Switzerland, Canada, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Qatar
🇨🇦 Canada v 🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina
(Canada open their campaign at home in Toronto)
This could be the defining match in Group B. Canada will have home advantage and a huge crowd behind them, but Bosnia and Herzegovina have the tournament experience and composure to make this a difficult opening assignment. If Canada win this game, they are going to be very hard to stop from advancing into the knockout stage.
🇨🇭Switzerland v 🇶🇦 Qatar
(Switzerland are clear favourites on tournament record and recent World Cup consistency)
Switzerland will be expected to start strongly against the outsiders. Qatar need to be far more resilient than they were in 2022, but the Swiss should have the organisation and experience to control this matchup. The Middle-east team has had an interrupted preparation given the ongoing conflict forced the cancellation of a key warm-up festival. It would be a major upset if they troubled the Swiss.
🇨🇦 Canada v 🇶🇦 Qatar
(Canada continue their group campaign in Vancouver)
This is the match Canada simply cannot afford to waste. If they are serious about reaching the Round of 32, they need to take three points from Qatar and use their pace to stretch a side likely to sit deep.
🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina v 🇨🇭Switzerland
(a European clash that could decide the top two order)
This is the tactical heavyweight clash in the group. Switzerland look the safer and more balanced side, but Bosnia and Herzegovina have enough experience to turn this into a low-margin contest.
🇨🇦 Canada v 🇨🇭Switzerland
(Canada finish the group stage against the favourites in Vancouver)
This could decide who tops Group B. Canada’s energy and home advantage will make them dangerous, but Switzerland’s structure and tournament nous may be the difference if the group is still alive entering the final round. While we can’t see Canada defeating the Swiss, a close result could decide if they advance.
🇧🇦 Bosnia & Herzegovina v 🇶🇦 Qatar
(Bosnia and Herzegovina will expect to take points from the group outsiders)
Bosnia and Herzegovina should have too much quality and experience if they need a result late in the group. Qatar’s best chance is to stay compact and turn this into a slow, tense contest.
World Cup Group B prediction & best bet
Switzerland deserve favouritism in Group B and look the safest team to progress. Their 1.08 qualification price is short, but it reflects a side that has repeatedly handled group-stage football well and reached the knockout rounds at each of the last three World Cups.
The bigger betting question is whether Canada can use home advantage to hold off Bosnia and Herzegovina for second. At 1.20 to qualify, the Canadians are short enough, but they have the draw, the crowd and enough attacking talent to make history on home soil. Bosnia and Herzegovina are the obvious threat at 1.40, while Qatar look the most likely side to finish bottom at 1.53.
The Group B betting market has Switzerland first, Canada second, Bosnia and Herzegovina third and Qatar fourth at 5.00, which looks the most logical Group B result. Canada to win the group at 3.20 is tempting, but Switzerland’s tournament record makes them hard to oppose at the top.
Switzerland to top Group B, with Canada to use home advantage and join them in the Round of 32.
Group B exact order: Switzerland 1st, Canada 2nd, Bosnia and Herzegovina 3rd, Qatar 4th @ 5.00 with football betting sites.
