FIFA Confirms Own Goal as First Arab Score in 2026 World Cup

During the opening round of Group B in the 2026 World Cup, Qatar recorded the first goal attributed to an Arab team in the tournament in their match against Switzerland, which ended in a 1-1 draw on Saturday evening.

The Qatari team earned their first-ever point in World Cup history thanks to a goal initially credited to Boualem Khoukhi in the 94th minute via a header, while Switzerland had taken the lead earlier with a penalty goal by Breel Embolo in the 17th minute.

However, FIFA clarified on its official website that Qatar's goal was officially recorded as an own goal by Swiss defender Miro Muheim.

Muheim, who plays for Hamburg in Germany, entered the match as a substitute in the 88th minute, replacing his teammate Ricardo Rodriguez, and inadvertently caused Switzerland to drop two points.

In the second round of matches, Qatar is set to face Canada, one of the tournament co-hosts alongside the United States and Mexico. Canada began their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina, leaving all four teams in the group tied with one point each.