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Ruben Vargas’ 47th minute opener was cancelled out by Florent Muslija in the 74th minute of the game as the Swiss unit guaranteed their spot in the showpiece.
Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka. (X)
Switzerland secured their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026, their sixth straight appearance in the quadrennial spectacle, following their stalemate with Kosovo.
Ruben Vargas’ 47th minute opener was cancelled out by Florent Muslija in the 74th minute of the game as the Swiss unit guaranteed their spot in the showpiece.
All that Switzerland had to do was ensure that they did not fall to a defeat by five goals to confirm their berth in the World Cup slated to be hosted by the USA, Mexico and Canada. Kosovo, seeking its first World Cup appearance, had already secured second place.
Earlier, Belgium secured their fourth consecutive FIFA World Cup berth with a 7-0 victory over Liechtenstein, finishing at the top of Group J. Wales claimed second place after defeating North Macedonia 7-1.
Jeremy Doku and Charles De Ketelaere scored twice each, while Hans Vanaken, Brandon Mechele, and Alexis Saelemaekers also contributed goals for Belgium.
Wales’ substantial win at home ensured their qualification for the quadrennial event, with Harry Wilson netting a hat trick. North Macedonia needed just a draw to qualify. Both teams advanced to the playoffs via the Nations League.
In another match, Spain settled for a point as Turkey held the Euro 2024 champions to a 2-2 draw in their FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers at the Estadio La Cratuja de Sevilla.
Goals from Dani Olmo and Mikel Oyarzabal were countered by Deniz Gul and Salih Ozcan, extending Spain’s unbeaten streak to 31 games.
Spain’s unbeaten run commenced against Italy in the semifinals of the Nations League in 2023. Italy’s unbeaten record lasted from 2018 to 2021, ending with a 2-1 loss to Spain in the Nations League final.
Spain would have surrendered first place only if they lost by seven goals or more, with Turkey finishing second in the group.
Olmo expressed a bittersweet sentiment, stating they wanted to finish without conceding a goal but were happy to qualify for the World Cup.
Olmo scored for Spain in the 4th minute, but Gul equalized three minutes before halftime. Ozcan put Turkey ahead early in the second half, but Oyarzabal ensured Spain’s unbeaten run continued with his equalizer just after the hour mark.
November 19, 2025, 09:26 IST
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