Switzerland World Cup Squad 2026: Full 26-Player Roster
The Switzerland World Cup Squad 2026 has become one of the stories of the tournament. Murat Yakin’s 26 man roster topped Group B unbeaten, knocked out Algeria and Colombia in the knockout rounds, and reached the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 1954. Granit Xhaka captains La Nati at his fourth World Cup, and Switzerland now face defending champions Argentina on Saturday, July 11 in Kansas City.
Yakin leans on Europe’s elite leagues. Manuel Akanji anchors the defence from Inter Milan, Xhaka runs midfield from Sunderland, and Breel Embolo leads the attack. Switzerland were ranked 19th in the world before the tournament, and they have already reached the last eight for the first time in 72 years, going unbeaten through five matches.
Full squad list, results, key players and the road to the semifinals for La Nati at the 2026 World Cup.
Switzerland World Cup Squad 2026: Full 26 Player Roster
| Position | Player | Club | Age | Caps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GK | Gregor Kobel | Borussia Dortmund (Germany) | 28 | 20 | 0 |
| GK | Yvon Mvogo | Lorient (France) | 32 | 13 | 0 |
| GK | Marvin Keller | Young Boys | 23 | 1 | 0 |
| DF | Miro Muheim | Hamburger SV (Germany) | 28 | 9 | 0 |
| DF | Silvan Widmer | Mainz 05 (Germany) | 33 | 59 | 5 |
| DF | Nico Elvedi | Borussia Mönchengladbach (Germany) | 29 | 66 | 3 |
| DF | Manuel Akanji | Inter Milan (Italy) | 30 | 80 | 4 |
| DF | Ricardo Rodriguez | Real Betis (Spain) | 33 | 137 | 9 |
| DF | Eray Cömert | Valencia (Spain) | 28 | 21 | 0 |
| DF | Aurèle Amenda | Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany) | 22 | 6 | 0 |
| DF | Luca Jaquez | Stuttgart (Germany) | 23 | 3 | 0 |
| MF | Granit Xhaka (C) | Sunderland (England) | 33 | 145 | 17 |
| MF | Remo Freuler | Bologna (Italy) | 34 | 87 | 11 |
| MF | Denis Zakaria | Monaco (France) | 29 | 64 | 3 |
| MF | Djibril Sow | Sevilla (Spain) | 29 | 51 | 0 |
| MF | Michel Aebischer | Pisa (Italy) | 29 | 39 | 2 |
| MF | Fabian Rieder | Augsburg (Germany) | 24 | 27 | 1 |
| MF | Ardon Jashari | AC Milan (Italy) | 23 | 7 | 0 |
| MF | Johan Manzambi | SC Freiburg (Germany) | 20 | 11 | 3 |
| FW | Breel Embolo | Rennes (France) | 29 | 86 | 24 |
| FW | Dan Ndoye | Nottingham Forest (England) | 25 | 30 | 7 |
| FW | Rubén Vargas | Sevilla (Spain) | 27 | 61 | 11 |
| FW | Noah Okafor | Leeds United (England) | 26 | 24 | 2 |
| FW | Zeki Amdouni | Burnley (England) | 25 | 28 | 11 |
| FW | Christian Fassnacht | Young Boys | 32 | 22 | 5 |
| FW | Cedric Itten | Fortuna Düsseldorf (Germany) | 29 | 14 | 5 |
(C) = captain. Ages are as of June 11, 2026. Caps and goals are pre tournament figures.
For all 48 team final selections, see our World Cup 2026 squads page.
Quick Stats
The key numbers behind Yakin’s 26 man roster.
- 2026 World Cup progress: Quarterfinals, first since 1954
- Average age: 27.8 years
- Most capped player: Granit Xhaka (145 caps)
- Top scorer in the squad: Breel Embolo (24 international goals)
- Premier League players: 4 (Xhaka, Ndoye, Okafor, Amdouni)
- Bundesliga players: 8 (Kobel, Muheim, Widmer, Elvedi, Rieder, Amenda, Jaquez, Manzambi)
- Youngest player: Johan Manzambi (20)
- Oldest player: Remo Freuler (34)
Key Players to Watch
Granit Xhaka (C) | Sunderland
Switzerland’s captain and midfield metronome, playing his fourth World Cup. His 145 caps lead the squad, and he has controlled the tempo throughout the run to the last eight. He also buried the stoppage time penalty that finished off Bosnia.
Manuel Akanji | Inter Milan
The defensive anchor. The centre back has marshalled a back line that kept clean sheets against Algeria and Colombia in the knockouts. His reading of danger lets Switzerland defend high, and at 30 he is at the peak of his game.
Breel Embolo | Rennes
Switzerland’s focal point in attack and their leading scorer with 24 international goals. He opened the scoring against Algeria in the Round of 32 and stretches defences with his movement. Yakin needs his finishing against Argentina.
Dan Ndoye | Nottingham Forest
Switzerland’s width and pace. He doubled the lead against Algeria and runs at full backs all game, the player most likely to unlock a stubborn defence with one burst in behind.
Johan Manzambi | SC Freiburg
The breakout star of Switzerland’s tournament at just 20. He scored three times in the group stage, including a brace against Bosnia, and is a genuine contender for the FIFA Young Player Award.
Gregor Kobel | Borussia Dortmund
Switzerland’s goalkeeper and shootout hero. He saved from Cucho Hernández in the Round of 16 penalty shootout against Colombia to send La Nati into the quarterfinals, and has anchored one of the tournament’s meanest defences.
Switzerland World Cup Squad 2026 Results and Road to the Quarterfinals
Switzerland went unbeaten through Group B, then edged two knockout ties to reach the last eight. Here is their full 2026 World Cup path.
| Date | Match | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 13, 2026 | Switzerland vs Qatar | Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara | 1-1 Draw |
| Jun 18, 2026 | Switzerland vs Bosnia and Herzegovina | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood | 4-1 Win |
| Jun 24, 2026 | Switzerland vs Canada | BC Place, Vancouver | 2-1 Win |
| Jul 2, 2026 | Switzerland vs Algeria (Round of 32) | BC Place, Vancouver | 2-0 Win |
| Jul 7, 2026 | Switzerland vs Colombia (Round of 16) | BC Place, Vancouver | 0-0, won 4-3 on penalties |
| Jul 11, 2026 | Switzerland vs Argentina (Quarterfinal) | Kansas City Stadium | 9:00 PM ET |
Switzerland saved their best for the knockouts. Breel Embolo and Dan Ndoye scored in each half as they beat Algeria, coached by former Swiss boss Vladimir Petkovic, 2-0 in the Round of 32.
In the Round of 16 against Colombia, they ground out a 0-0 draw before winning 4-3 on penalties, with Gregor Kobel saving from Cucho Hernández and Rubén Vargas burying the decisive spot kick. It was Switzerland’s first World Cup penalty shootout win.
Next comes the biggest test. Switzerland face defending champions Argentina and Lionel Messi in the quarterfinal on Saturday, July 11 at Kansas City Stadium, kicking off at 9:00 PM ET. The winner meets England or Norway in the semifinal.
See the full 2026 World Cup schedule for every knockout fixture and time.
How Switzerland Qualified for World Cup 2026
Switzerland won UEFA qualifying Group B ahead of Kosovo, Slovenia and Sweden, where only the group winner earned a direct place. Yakin’s side took 14 points from six games, scoring 14 goals and conceding just two.
Home wins over Kosovo (4-0) and Slovenia (3-0) set the tone, followed by a 2-0 win away to Sweden and a 4-1 rout of Sweden in Geneva. A 1-1 draw away to Kosovo on November 18, 2025 confirmed top spot and a 13th World Cup appearance. Breel Embolo was the team’s top scorer in UEFA qualifying with four goals.
Head Coach: Murat Yakin
Murat Yakin, 51, has led Switzerland since August 2021. A former defender capped 49 times, he won five Swiss titles as a player with Grasshoppers and his home city club Basel, and he took over from Vladimir Petkovic.
His tournament record explains the belief in this squad. Yakin reached the Round of 16 at Qatar 2022 and the Euro 2024 quarterfinals, where Switzerland thrashed holders Italy before losing to England on penalties. In 2026 he has gone one better, guiding La Nati to their first World Cup quarterfinal since 1954. He favours a compact 4-2-3-1 and can switch to a back three when a game demands it.
Group B Final Standings
Switzerland finished top of Group B. Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina also reached the knockout stage, while Qatar went out.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Switzerland | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | +4 | 7 |
| 2 | Canada | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | +5 | 4 |
| 3 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 4 |
| 4 | Qatar | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | -8 | 1 |
Switzerland were the highest ranked side in the group and lived up to it. Bosnia and Herzegovina squeezed through as one of the best third placed teams, while Qatar were eliminated.
For the full picture, check the 2026 World Cup groups hub.
FAQ About Switzerland World Cup Squad 2026
How far have Switzerland reached at the 2026 World Cup?
Switzerland have reached the quarterfinals. They topped Group B unbeaten, beat Algeria 2-0 in the Round of 32, and knocked out Colombia on penalties in the Round of 16. It is their first World Cup quarterfinal since 1954.
Who do Switzerland play in the World Cup quarterfinal?
Switzerland face defending champions Argentina in the quarterfinal on Saturday, July 11, 2026 at Kansas City Stadium. Kick off is 9:00 PM ET. The winner meets England or Norway in the semifinal.
How did Switzerland beat Colombia in the Round of 16?
The Round of 16 tie finished 0-0 after extra time and Switzerland won 4-3 on penalties. Gregor Kobel saved from Cucho Hernández, Davinson Sánchez hit the bar, and Rubén Vargas scored the decisive spot kick for Switzerland’s first ever World Cup shootout win.
How did Switzerland do in the 2026 World Cup group stage?
Switzerland topped Group B unbeaten. They drew 1-1 with Qatar, then beat Bosnia and Herzegovina 4-1 and hosts Canada 2-1 to finish first on 7 points.
Is Xherdan Shaqiri in Switzerland’s 2026 World Cup squad?
No, Xherdan Shaqiri is not in the squad. The long time talisman retired from international football after Euro 2024, which hands more creative responsibility to Granit Xhaka and the younger attackers.
Where can fans in the US watch Switzerland’s World Cup matches?
FOX and FS1 hold the English language rights to the 2026 World Cup in the United States, with Telemundo carrying Spanish language coverage. Switzerland’s games also stream through the networks’ apps for subscribers.
Switzerland World Cup 2026 Hopes
The Switzerland World Cup Squad 2026 was built on experience and balance, and it has proved hard to beat. Xhaka, Akanji, Rodriguez and Embolo give Yakin a proven spine, while Manzambi, Ndoye and Kobel have delivered the moments that carried La Nati into the last eight. Reaching the quarterfinals unbeaten is already Switzerland’s best World Cup run in 72 years.
Now they meet defending champions Argentina, and a first World Cup semifinal since 1938 is within reach.
To pull off the upset, Switzerland will need Kobel in form, Embolo sharp in front of goal, and the discipline that has defined their tournament. On their day, La Nati can trouble anyone left in the draw.
