Qatar secured their first point in World Cup history after Boualem Khoukhi scored a stoppage-time equalizer to draw 1-1 with Switzerland in San Francisco. The goal marked a historic moment for the Gulf nation in their Group B match.
Switzerland appeared set to claim all three points before Khoukhi's late intervention denied them victory. The result gives Qatar their first point across all World Cup appearances, after failing to win a single match in their previous tournament as hosts.
The match took place at one of the 2026 World Cup venues in San Francisco, where the expanded tournament is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. The Group B standings remain tight as both teams look to advance from the opening round.
For Switzerland, the draw represents two points dropped after controlling much of the match. They will need to regroup for their remaining group matches to secure passage to the knockout stages. Qatar, meanwhile, will take significant confidence from their first World Cup point, demonstrating improvement from their previous tournament showing.
The 2026 World Cup features 48 teams for the first time, up from 32 in previous editions. The expanded format gives more nations like Qatar additional opportunities to compete on the global stage and build experience at the highest level of international football.