Qatar earned their first-ever FIFA World Cup point by securing a dramatic 1-1 draw against Switzerland on June 13, 2026, in Group B at Levi’s Stadium. Breel Embolo gave the Swiss the lead in the first half via a penalty, but Boualem Khoukhi scored a dramatic 95th-minute header to equalise. Qatar cemented their spot in the tournament by defeating the United Arab Emirates 2-1 on home soil, very much unlike the 2022 Qatar World Cup, when they just got a chance to play as the host nation.

Switzerland drove the game and broke the deadlock when Denis Zakaria floated a ball to Breel Embolo, who headed it into the path of Remo Freuler. Qatar goalkeeper Mahmoud Abunada collided with Freuler in the box, and Embolo converted the resulting penalty to make it 1-0. Qatar was sloppy in the first half, with just ‘parking the bus’.

Switzerland continued to control possession, with Granit Xhaka and Embolo both coming close to doubling the lead. However, Qatar’s defence held firm, and Abunada made several critical saves to keep his team in the game. In the 95th minute, Qatar capitalised on a late opportunity when defender Boualem Khoukhi scored a goal, snatching a historic draw of 1-1 for Qatar.

Mahmud Abunada’s masterclass fetches him the Man of the Match award

Mahmud Abunada was named Man of the Match for his heroic goalkeeping display against Switzerland, anchoring Qatar to a historic 1-1 draw and their first-ever FIFA World Cup point. He made 7 crucial saves to keep his team in the game, repeatedly frustrating a dominant Swiss attack.

In the 13th minute, Abunada collided with Remo Freuler inside the penalty area, resulting in a yellow card and a converted penalty by Breel Embolo. After that, there was no looking back. Despite taking a heavy blow to the face during the early clash, Abunada shook off the injury to produce outstanding saves against Dan Ndoye and Granit Xhaka to prevent Switzerland from doubling their lead.

This resulted in Qatar keeping their hopes alive till the last minute, and they drew the game against Switzerland.