Live: England gets update on stolen training kit, Qatar plays Switzerland

Qatar and Switzerland get things underway in San Francisco on a busy third day of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

England has had the majority of its stolen equipment recovered after it went missing in Kansas City ahead of the Three Lions' opening training session.

Later, Brazil take on Morocco and Haiti face Scotland as Group C plays its first games.

Follow all the action in our live blog.

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Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 5:04am

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 5:04am

Live updates: Qatar vs Switzerland

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Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 5:12am

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 5:12am

6' What a save!

By Simon Smale

Brilliant save Mahmud Abunada!

It was a great pass through for Michel Aebischer after Qatar can't clear their lines - two defenders getting in each others way.

Dan Ndoye raced onto the pass and shot across his body towards goal where Abunada made a brilliant one-handed stop and pushed the ball away.

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 5:09am

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 5:09am

2' BIG CHANCE QATAR!

By Simon Smale

Edmilson Junior with a golden chance!

Manuel Akanji had a swing and a miss at the back, allowing Edmilson a free run at goal.

However, Gregor Kobel made himself as big as be possibly could and just about managed to get something on the ball.

Edmilson should have done better - that's a great chance.

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 5:07am

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 5:07am

1' Chance Switzerland

By Simon Smale

Early chance for Switzerland, the ball hammered forward and poked into the path of Breel Embolo, who flies in and tries to power the ball towards goal, but he can't make contact properly.

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 5:06am

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 5:06am

1' Kick off in Santa Clara

By Simon Smale

The Swiss are in their change kit, a light number with fluorescent yellowy-green splashes across it.

Qatar are in their traditional darker maroon shirts.

It is the Swiss who will kick things off and they all line up to the right side of the field - a five wide receiver formation for the locals and the ball, after being passed back to the quarterback, is launched towards those five runners, none of whom get their head on it.

Right, back to football.

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 5:03am

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 5:03am

Julen Lopetegui finally gets World Cup moment

By Simon Smale

- with Reuters

Julen Lopetegui is coaching a World Cup team for the first time, eight years after being sensationally fired as Spain manager days before the tournament in Russia.

But he had little interest in talking about his past near miss.

"I am not thinking about the past, I am thinking about the present," he said.

"Because you are building your future."

That future sees Qatar face the Swiss, a tough team first up.

"I think Switzerland is a very, very strong team. Most of them are top players. I don't want to talk about one, I would have to talk about all of them," he said.

Another player who needed to talk about his future and not his past was Qatar captain Hassan Al Haydos, who was coaxed out of retirement to play a second World Cup.

He too was hesitant to look back at the 2022 tournament but said that the players had learned from it.

"Of course, we tried to put this experience into practice from a technical perspective, and performance-related perspective," he said through a translator.

"We tried to share whatever insights and experience we gained.

"We cannot promise our fans anything or any outcomes, but still I can promise that we are going to do our best and come out in a positive way."

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 5:00am

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 5:00am

Here come the teams

By Simon Smale

These two sides have only ever played each other once before.

That came in 2018 and saw Qatar win 1-0.

The two teams are walking out onto the pitch now to take up their position around the centre circle for the anthems.

The commentator is talking up the heat a lot, so I guess it must be quite humid there.

Perhaps, for the first time this tournament the hydration breaks will be warranted?

Qatar starts us off with its national anthem, the players standing with hands around each others' shoulders as they sing along to the musical accompaniment, with supporters in the stands also adding their voices to the display.

And now the Swiss sing their anthem, hands on hearts the lot of them, the music blaring out from the speakers.

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 4:56am

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 4:56am

Canada 1-1 Bosnia Herzegovina

By Simon Smale

Canada and Bosnia Herzegovina are the other two teams in this group and they shared a 1-1 draw in Toronto yesterday.

Hugely entertaining that match to be honest, so if this is half as good as that, it will be half as good.

Jovo Lukić gave the visitors the lead but Canada dominated possession and chances and finally earned their reward with an excellent shot on the turn by Cyle Larin to secure their first ever World Cup point.

Read all about that here, if you wanted to.

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 4:49am

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 4:49am

No studio coverage from SBS for this game

By Simon Smale

Australian viewers are being left with the world feed for today's opening game between Qatar and Switzerland.

SBS are, I am sure, going to be saving the big guns for the Socceroos match later.

But if you want any analysis at half time or full time, I guess you're just going to have to stick with me here.

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 4:40am

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 4:40am

Welcome to San Francisco

By Simon Smale

San Francisco is hosting the first of our four matches today.

This is Levi's Stadium, home of the 49ers in the NFL and it is a spectacular stadium.

It has already hosted two Super Bowls, including the most recent one in February this year, and will be where the Socceroos take on Paraguay in what could be a crucial third groups-stage clash.

The World Cup capacity is 68,827 but there have been concerns about the lack of a roof on the stadium and the heat in Santa Clara in summer.

This is exasperated by the fact that stadium is oriented in a way that has the executive boxes in shade while the rest of the stadium is in direct sun.

Today it's not hot, just 28 degrees, so a pretty comfortable watching temperature.

But when it's hot, that could be a problem.

Anyway, if you want to learn more about the stadiums of the World Cup, check this out.

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 4:29am

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 4:29am

Asian champions Qatar not expecting gifts

By Simon Smale

- Reuters

Four years after their home World Cup went sour, Qatar are not expecting any gifts in North America as they look for a performance to make their fans proud, coach Julen Lopetegui said ahead of their opener against Switzerland.

Qatarlost all three matches in 2022 and scored a solitary goal in an unprecedented low for a tournament host but have since earned some credibility by qualifying under their own steam for North America.

"When we arrived here one year ago more or less, our goal was [qualification]. Our dream was that. Inshallah, we achieved it. With the help of this group. They made history," Lopetegui told reporters on Friday.

"Now we don't want to stop. We know the kind of opponents we face. We know that we are at the World Cup but we want to follow our dream.

"In the same way, [we're] thinking that no-one gives us presents here. Now we want to be able to be as competitive as possible, starting with the first match tomorrow."

Asian champions Qatar target their first World Cup points following a buildup disrupted by the war in Iran.

The conflict meant friendlies against Serbia and world champions Argentina in March were cancelled, and they kick off the World Cup following a 1-0 loss to Ireland and 0-0 draw against El Salvador in friendlies against humbler opponents.

There were no complaints from Lopetegui about their preparations before they take on a highly regarded Swiss side, the coach saying Qatar just had to get used to it.

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 4:24am

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 4:24am

Confident Swiss wary of shock: 'tournaments like this also thrive on their surprise'

By Simon Smale

- with Reuters

Switzerland are in confident mood heading into this tournament.

They have every reason to be - having been unbeaten in qualifying while conceding just two goals.

They have stuck largely with the same group from the last World Cup and will include emerging talent like Dan Ndoye and versatile newcomer Johan Manzambi in attack.

They will support dependable veterans Granit Xhaka, Manuel Akanji and Ricardo Rodriguez, who have 365 caps combined.

Switzerland's record in reaching World Cups is matched only in Europe by Germany, France, Spain, England and Portugal, yet a quarter-final has eluded them for seven decades with a string of round-of-16 exits.

Switzerland should advance from the group with ease, though coach Murat Yakin is taking Qatar seriously, considering them "the big unknown" while keen to avoid an opening-match upset like the one eventual champions Argentina endured in 2022.

"Qatar is a very serious opponent. We can't let what Argentina experienced against Saudi Arabia four years ago happen to us," he said.

"In the end, tournaments like this also thrive on their surprises."

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 4:17am

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 4:17am

'Impatient' Swiss 'primed and ready'

By Simon Smale

- Reuters

Switzerland are raring to get their campaign underway against Qatar and are shaping up to deliver their best World Cup so far, but the players must make sure they enjoy the moment, captain Granit Xhaka said yesterday.

Playing in his fourth World Cup, Xhaka said the Swiss were confident and "yearning for it like never before", and will go all out for victory against the back-to-back Asian champions in Santa Clara on Saturday.

"In football we always talk about tactical things, but you also have to enjoy the moment and I think this is one of the most important things in football, that you go on the pitch, that you feel free," Xhaka told a press conference.

"We just want to bring our 'A' game tomorrow. We will want to perform for Switzerland, for our families. Tomorrow we will take the first big step. This is going to be the best World Cup.

"We are now impatient. We are primed and ready. We are physically ready, we are mentally ready."

Switzerland are playing in their sixth successive World Cup, a feat matched matched only in Europe by France, Spain, England, Portugal and Germany.

But unlike those sides, the Swiss have little to show for it, with round-of-16 exits in five of their past six appearances, with their last quarter-final back in 1954.

Key Event

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 4:12am

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 4:12am

Team news: Qatar vs Switzerland

By Simon Smale

First game of the day is not a million miles away and we already have the team news.

Qatar

Bit of a surprise from Qatar, with record goalscorer Almoez Ali left out of the starting XI.

Two-time Asian Player of the Year Akram Afif instead leads the attack for Qatar.

Switzerland

Veterans Granit Xhaka and Ricardo Rodriguez will play a national record 13th game in World Cup tournaments having both been selected for this opener.

Unlucky for some?

Johan Manzambi may only be 20 years old but the Freiburg players has started the last couple of matches.

However, he is on the bench today.

Key Event

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 4:05am

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 4:05am

England has stolen kit recovered

By Simon Smale

Some news from late yesterday that has since been resolved is that the training kit England had stolen in Kansas City has since been mostly recovered.

The BBC and other outlets following England said most of the items have been returned.

Thomas Tuchel and his squad will arrive in Kansas City this afternoon and the equipment was due to be in place beforehand.

Footwear was among the items stolen but that did not include any elite boots and, crucially, nothing game-critical was taken.

"Yesterday, officials in Kansas City learned at some point between their over-the-road transport from Florida to their arrival at the training facility in Kansas City, goods belonging to the English national team were stolen," Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas told reporters.

"Public safety officials at the local, state and federal levels are working to trace where in the United States the items were seized and all the individuals who may have been involved."

Reportedly, all but a single training ball was taken from the collection of equipment.

Two people were later arrested by Kansas police.

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 3:56am

Sun 14 Jun 2026 at 3:56am

Good morning

By Simon Smale

Hello everyone and welcome to the third day of the FIFA World Cup!

After a staggered start of four games in two days, the tournament gets started in earnest today with FOUR matches in a single day.

Here's the line up of matches today, including one match in particular that we are all going to be paying a lot of attention to:

5:00am AEST (4:30am ACST, 3:00am AWST) — Group B: Qatar vs Switzerland @ San Francisco Bay Area Stadium

8:00am AEST (7:30am ACST, 6:00am AWST) — Group C: Brazil vs Morocco @ New Jersey Stadium

11:00am AEST (10:30am ACST, 9:00am AWST) — Group C: Haiti vs Scotland @ Boston Stadium

2:00pm AEST (1:30pm ACST, 12:00pm AWST) — Group D: Australia vs Türkiye @ BC Place, Vancouver

That is, of course, much further on in the day and we will have a fresh blog for you for that one.

However, until then, we have a lot to get through, including one of the games of the group stage, Brazil against Morocco, which could be a banger.

Welcome, let's get into it.

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