There are a whopping four matches to sink our statistical teeth into on day 3 of World Cup 2026, which features five-time winners Brazil, and the returning Tartan Army.
First up, we have Qatar vs Switzerland in Santa Clara at 8pm on Saturday night, followed by the intriguing Group D duel between Brazil and the 2022 surprise semi-finalists Morocco at 11pm in Rutherford.
Then it’s into the early hours of Sunday morning when Scotland take on Haiti at 2am in Foxborough, before Vancouver hosts Australia against Turkey at 5am (all times BST).
Stats you might see on Day 3
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Qatar vs Switzerland stats
- Qatar snapshot stat: Qatar are searching for their first World Cup point, having lost all three matches during their only previous appearance at the tournament in 2022.
- Switzerland snapshot stat: Switzerland are unbeaten in their last six World Cup opening matches and can extend that run to seven, with their last opening-game defeat coming back in 1966.
Qatar endured a difficult debut on football’s biggest stage four years ago when they became the first host nation to lose their opening World Cup match before going on to suffer three straight defeats. As a result, they arrive at World Cup 2026 still searching for their first point and first victory in the tournament.
Worryingly, Qatar are without a win in six games, scoring just one goal in their last five. They will hope that key duo Almoez Ali and Akram Afif can find their form from qualifying, when Ali riffled in an AFC-high 12 goals and Afif accumulated 11 assists.
Switzerland cruised through qualifying to reach their six successive World Cup. The Swiss have reached the last-16 in each of the last three editions and will certainly fancy their chances of making it through to the knockout stages again in 2026 in a very favourable Group B, which contains Canada, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Saturday’s opponents Qatar. The Swiss are unbeaten in their last six World Cup openers, with their last opening defeat dating back to 1966.
Striker Breel Embolo will be one of their key men after scoring four times during qualification and netting twice at the 2022 World Cup.
Brazil vs Morocco stats
- Brazil snapshot stat: Brazil are unbeaten in their last 20 World Cup opening matches and can extend that remarkable run to 21 games, a streak that would stretch back 92 years to 1934.
- Morocco snapshot stat: Morocco will be aiming to become just the second African nation to defeat Brazil at the World Cup.
Brazil will make history once again by extending their record – to 23 – as the only country to have appeared at every World Cup since the tournament began in 1930. The Selecao were not at their best during qualification – finishing fifth – but in Carlo Ancelotti they have an elite manager at the helm as they pursue a sixth World Cup.
Brazil have a stunning opening game record at World Cups, having gone unbeaten in each of their last 20 World Cup openers dating back to 1934. 17 of those have been wins, with three draws, and zero defeats. Victory against Morocco would extend that remarkable run to 21 matches spanning 92 years.
Brazil have also traditionally thrived against African opposition at the World Cup, winning seven of their eight meetings. Morocco will hope to draw inspiration from Cameroon in 2022 by becoming just the second African side to topple the Selecao at the tournament.
Morocco made history four years ago when they became the first African country to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup and have since – controversially – won the 2025 AFCON. But the Atlas Lions have never won their opening game at a World Cup, losing three and drawing three in their previous six appearances.
Haiti vs Scotland stats
- Haiti snapshot stat: If they lose, Haiti will hold the second-worst 100% losing record (4 losses in 4 games) at the World Cup, behind El Salvador (6 losses in 6).
- Scotland snapshot stat: Scotland are targeting their first World Cup win in 36 years and first opening game win since 1952.
Scotland are back at the World Cup for the first time in 28 years and will be aiming to make an instant impact with a win over Haiti in Boston. This will be their first World Cup appearance in the 21st century, as they chase a first victory since a 2-1 win over Sweden in 1990 under Andy Roxburgh. The Tartan Army will also be looking to win their opening match for the first time since 1952, when they beat New Zealand 5-2.
Scotland will be desperate to end a long-standing drought in front of goal at the World Cup, having not scored since Craig Burley’s strike in the 1-1 draw with Norway in 1998. Scott McTominay could be the man to change that, with the midfielder often delivering in key moments for Scotland, with 14 international goals over the past three-and-a-half-years.
Haiti had to wait even longer – 52 years, the longest wait ever – for their return to the World Cup as they prepare to make their second ever appearance and first since 1974, when they lost all three games and conceded 14 goals. They still hold the highest goals-conceded-per-game ratio (4.67) in World Cup history among teams with at least three matches played.
Another defeat on Sunday would, unfortunately, leave them with the second-worst 100% losing record in World Cup history – four defeats from four matches – behind only El Salvador (six defeats from six).
Australia vs Turkey stats
- Austria snapshot stat: Australia could lose their opening game for the fifth straight World Cup.
- Turkey snapshot stat: Turkey are looking for their first World Cup win since finishing third in 2002.
Turkey return to the World Cup for the first time since they came third in 2022, with their only other appearance dating back to 1956. They reached the quarter-finals of Euro 2024 and will fancy their chances in Group D.
The countries have met twice with Turkey holding a 100% winning record following two successes in 2004, while they’ve won each of their four World Cup matches against AFC nations. Turkey have, however, lost both of their opening World Cup matches in their previous two appearances.
Australia are appearing in their seventh World Cup, and sixth on the spin. They have lost five of their opening six games, including in each of the last four editions: 4-1, 2-1, 3-1, and 4-0.
In fact, no country has lost more games than Australia (10 in 17) in the last five World Cups.
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