FIFA World Cup: All you need to know about Group B

Co-hosts Canada open their tournament against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Switzerland brings strong recent knockout-stage consistency. Canada and Switzerland have the history and edge to qualify

Co-host Canada and consistent knockout-qualifiers Switzerland are favorites, facing a strong Bosnia and Herzegovina and 2022 hosts Qatar. Canada will be competing at their third FIFA World Cup, looking to record their first-ever tournament points after appearances in 1986 and 2022. The North American nation was present at the last tournament in Qatar.

Qatar will be competing at their second World Cup, making their first-ever appearance on foreign soil after automatically qualifying as hosts in 2022, where they never went beyond the group stage.

Switzerland will be competing in their 13th World Cup, and their best finishes were three quarter-final runs in 1934, 1938, and 1954. The European nation was at the last tournament in Qatar.

Bosnia and Herzegovina will be playing at their second FIFA World Cup, marking their first appearance in 12 years since last competing in 2014, where they failed to get past the group stage.

The favorites to finish top two in this group are joint hosts Canada and Switzerland, while Bosnia and Herzegovina may qualify as one of the best third-placed teams.

Groups A to L feature a mix of traditional heavyweights, historic rivalries, and four tournament debutants. Under the expanded 48-team format, the top two teams from each group plus the eight best third-place finishers will advance to the Round of 32.