+ Group B: Qatar–Switzerland, tonight, 9:00 PM
San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, Santa Clara, California
TV4/P4 Radio Sport
+ Outclassed Sweden in the World Cup qualifiers
Despite being on home soil, Qatar were not quite good enough in their World Cup debut four years ago. Now they are playing their first match against an opponent that is fresh in the memory of the Swedish national team. Switzerland defeated the Blue and Yellows 2–0 and 4–1 last autumn to reach the country's sixth consecutive World Cup finals. Three times in a row, the Swiss' World Cup adventure has ended in the round of 16. Just like in the last World Cup, much of the responsibility rests with team captain Granit Xhaka, the 33-year-old midfield general who has played the most international matches for Switzerland.
+ Group C: Brazil–Morocco, tonight, 00:00
Metlife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
SVT/P4 Radio Sport
+ Twenty-four years of gold drought
A match that is actually of special interest to all Swedes. If Sweden finishes first or second in the group, a team from Group C awaits in the round of 32. Brazil is of course the favorite to win the group - which gives them a game against the second place in Sweden's group - even though their efforts in the South American World Cup qualifiers were not impressive. Carlo Ancelotti, with five Champions League titles on his list of achievements, took over as national team captain just over a year ago and is now chasing another trophy for the country that has the most World Cup titles. Brazil's fifth and most recent World Cup gold was won in 2002.
+ Group C: Haiti–Scotland, tonight, 3:00 AM
Boston Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
SVT
+ Punching bags looking for victory
Haiti has only participated once before, in 1974, when they were eliminated from the World Cup in Germany with zero points and a 2–14 goal difference after three matches. To qualify for the World Cup, Haiti, the country ravaged by violence and the poorest in the Western Hemisphere, had to play its home games on neutral ground in Curaçao. The World Cup spot was secured by a group victory over Honduras, Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
Scotland have participated eight times, most recently in 1998, but have never managed to get past the group stage. Victory here is likely to be key to the Scots achieving historic promotion.
+ Group D: Australia–Turkey, tomorrow, 6:00 AM
BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, British Columbia
TV4
+ Not born in 2002
Twenty-four years have passed since Turkey managed to win a medal in only its second World Cup appearance. Since Hakan Sükür and Ilhan Mansiz netted in the bronze medal match in 2002, Turkey has not played in the World Cup again. Now is the time after the team secured a World Cup game this spring by beating Romania and Kosovo in the playoffs. The team's stars Arda Güler (Real Madrid) and Kenan Yildiz (Juventus) - both 21 years old - were not even born the last time Turkey played World Cup football.
+ Political key player
FC St Pauli player Jackson Irvine is one of Australia's key players in the championship. He is not a typical footballer; his interest in electronic music has led to several festival gigs as a DJ and, back home in Germany, he has his own radio show. But he has also made political statements. Among other things, he has openly shown his support for Palestine on several occasions, which has resulted in both accusations of anti-Semitism and praise. Given all the controversies surrounding the championship in advance, it is not impossible that Irvine will take the opportunity to make his voice heard.
