World Cup 2026 Day 14: Group B recap

Day 14 of the 2026 World Cup brought the chaos of the final matchday for groups A, B, and C. This meant simultaneous kickoffs, scenario changes by the minute, and some teams feeling the joy of moving to the next phase while others felt the sting of being knocked out. One of those groups, Group B, had all to play for on the final day

General view inside the stadium during the national anthems before the match

Eloisa Lopez

World Cup Group B - Matchday 3

Bosnia & Herzegovina 3 - 1 Qatar

Bosnia and Herzegovina and Qatar entered the final matchday with one point each, and both needed a win to secure third place. On four points, either team would be more than likely guaranteed one of the eight best third-place finishes. This match may not have been the most pleasing on the eye, but it did have high stakes and plenty of goals.

At the start of this game, it was clear that one side was playing to win, and the other was playing not to lose. When that happens, usually the team with more positive energy comes out on top; that team was Bosnia and Herzegovina. They pushed Qatar to sit inside their own half, and on the stroke of the half-hour mark, the first goal came. Kerim Alajbegovic twisted and turned his way toward the Qatar box and lashed a long-range effort that found the back of the net. Five minutes later, they’d have a 2-0 lead as Edin Dzeko tried to cross the ball, but it hit Qatar’s Mahmud Abunada and caromed into his own net. Just before halftime, Qatar realized they needed to get on the front foot; they found a goal in the 42nd minute as Hassan Al Haidos halved Bosnia’s lead.

Switzerland's Johan Manzambi scores their second goal past Canada's Maxime Crepeau

Lee Smith

The second half had a lot fewer fireworks. Qatar needed to up the tempo but couldn’t. Bosnia and Herzegovina kept the ball away from them, causing them to chase and lose hope. The final nail in the coffin for Qatar was in the 80th minute when Ermin Mahmic scored after replacing his idol Dzeko. Going 3-1 down with 10 minutes left didn’t help they psychy of the Qatari team. They couldn’t put passes together until Bosnia got their third goal, and then those passes were static, not pushing the team forward and threatening anything near the goal. The match would end 3-1 in favor of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Qatar's Akram Afif, Almoez Ali and Boualem Khoukhi look dejected after the match

Eloisa Lopez

Qatar’s World Cup journey came to an end in this game. They were able to get their first-ever point at a World Cup on Matchday one, but losses on Matchdays two and three saw their 2026 campaign end. Bosnia and Herzegovina takes third place in Group B and, with four points, is in a great spot to be one of the top eight third-place teams. This means they will likely make the Round of 32 and play co-host USA in the knockout rounds.

Switzerland 2 - 1 Canada

For co-host Canada and group favorite Switzerland, the final matchday was simple: win to take the top spot; lose to finish second. Vancouver showed out for the Canadians on the second matchday, when Canada won their first-ever World Cup match with a 6-0 thumping of Qatar. The Swiss would be a much harder opponent, and they seem to be peaking at the right time. Switzerland drew a shocker against Qatar in their first match, then rebounded with a 4-1 win on matchday two. How would this one fare for the group favorites?

General view inside the stadium of giant Switzerland and Canada flags on the pitch before the match

Albert Gea

From the jump, this game showed it had high stakes; both teams were flying around the pitch. One noticeable thing was the absence of Canada’s Ismaël Koné, who had his leg broken in their last match. He was Canada’s best player so far at the World Cup, a player who could link Canada’s press and quick attacking moments. Without him, it was clear Switzerland could boss the midfield. Nevertheless, no team created any great chances in the first half, with both teams combining for under 10 shots, only two of which were big chances.

Switzerland's Johan Manzambi scores their second goal past Canada's Maxime Crepeau

Lee Smith

There was a big chance that was converted early in the second half. Rubén Vargas scored to put Switzerland up 1-0 in the 46th minute. Canada and their home crowd were stunned, and failed to really wake up after that. Switzerland continued to break Canada’s press, and 11 minutes later, Johan Manzambi scored Switzerland’s second. Going up 2-0 with 33 minutes left stunned Canada, but they didn’t fold. Jesse Marsch’s side fought back and cut the lead in half thanks to Promise David. David subbed on in the 74th minute and scored his goal in the 76th. With just about 15 minutes left, Canada pushed to get at least a draw, but failed to do so. The match would end 2-1 to the Swiss

Canada's Alistair Johnston reacts

Agustin Marcarian

Switzerland took the win and topped the group, despite their poor start. This team, which is often called a dark horse, goes into the knockouts with confidence. Canada’s second-place finish secures their first-ever trip to the knockout stage, but it also means the rest of their matches will be played in the United States instead of Canada.

Day 14, Group B, Round-up:

With everything done and dusted, Switzerland has topped group B and will play a third-place team in the round of 32. Canada takes second place and now has to play the majority of its matches outside its home nation. They’ll take on the second-place team from Group A, South Africa. Bosnia and Herzegovina finished third and now have a 99.9% chance of playing the USA in the Round of 32. Qatar has officially been knocked out of the tournament in Group B.

Day 14 sees three more groups play their final matches of the group stage. Groups D, E, and F will all know who finishes where. Who will punch their ticket to the knockout rounds, who will fill a possible qualifying third-place spot, and who will have played their last match at the 2026 World Cup?