In their 2026 World Cup group stage match against Qatar, the Swiss national team took an early lead following a contentious decision involving the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system.
The pivotal moment occurred when the referee awarded a penalty to Switzerland after a foul committed by Qatari player Mahmoud Abunada. Although Abunada sustained an injury during the incident, he was able to continue playing.
Shortly thereafter, questions were raised about a potential offside in the Swiss attack, prompting a lengthy VAR review. The officiating team thoroughly examined the footage before ultimately confirming the initial penalty decision.
Upon the confirmation, Swiss forward Breel Embolo stepped up and successfully converted the penalty, giving Switzerland a 1-0 advantage in the match.