Germany will begin their preparations for the upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup with an international friendly against Switzerland, who are fast emerging as dark horses. This match on Friday in Basel between the FIFA 18th-ranked ‘Red Crosses’ and the 10th-ranked ‘National Eleven’ comes with our prediction of more than 2.5 goals.
The Swiss topped Group B of the UEFA World Cup qualifiers with an unbeaten record (W4, D2). They are building up to the tournament with impressive momentum, and hopes are high that they can do better than a round of 16 appearance, something they achieved in the last three World Cup editions.
Germany topped Group A in the qualifiers, losing just once (W5), and are hoping to get into their groove before taking the flight to the US. The four-time champions haven’t crossed the group stage in the last two editions, so there’s a lot at stake in that tournament. Can Switzerland put a spanner in those thoughts, or will the Germans start their preparations on a high? Read more for our analysis, team news, and match predictions.
Switzerland were last seen in the World Cup qualifiers, where they finished with four wins and two draws. Together with those results, the ‘Red Crosses’ are unbeaten in ten consecutive matches (W7, D3) since their last defeat against Spain in November 2024 in the UEFA Nations League.
Playing at home could work to their advantage, as Murat Yakin’s side have won their last four matches playing in home venues. Each of those games saw them score at least three goals, so the home fans will hope that the Swiss can keep the scoring record intact.
Germany come here after winning their last five matches, all in the World Cup qualifiers. After they started with a 2-0 away defeat at Slovakia in last October, the Germans kept winning to book their spot in the World Cup with ease.
This could be an interesting test for manager Julian Nagelsmann, as the ‘National Eleven’ haven’t played a friendly since June 2024. With three wins out of their last four away games (L1), Germany have shown that they can hold their own on the road.
Switzerland made a late change to their squad, with Leeds United striker Noah Okafor replacing the injured Filip Ugrinic. The most experienced player in the Swiss squad is their captain, Granit Xhaka, with 143 caps.
Xhaka will slot in the midfield, as Switzerland are likely to line up in their usual 4-3-3 formation. Breel Emboyo and Ruben Vargas will be key for their scoring chances. Dan Ndoye could be their playmaker, having assisted thrice in the qualifiers.
Nagelsmann had a few injuries to comprehend, as Stuttgart’s Jamie Leweling, Bayern Munich’s Aleksandar Pavlovic, and Borussia Dortmund’s Felix Nmecha withdrew from the squad due to injuries. Angelo Stiller and Chris Fuhrich come into the side as a result.
The Germans are likely to stick to their usual 4-2-3-1 formation, but it will be interesting to see who starts up front. Nick Woltemade was Germany’s first choice in the qualifiers, scoring four goals, but Newcastle have used him in a deep-lying playmaker position lately.
