With title favourites Brazil and a strong-looking Serbia side ahead of them, Switzerland and Cameroon will be desperate to make a good start in Group G at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Switzerland enter the tournament on a run of three successive wins in competitive matches, beating Portugal and the Czech Republic at home and, most impressively, triumphing in Spain.
Cameroon are winless in four friendly matches but edged out Algeria in a playoff to qualify for the finals and finished third at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Below are the projected lineups for both teams.
Switzerland vs Cameroon lineups
Rigobert Song has shown himself to be a pragmatic manager since taking charge of the Indomitable Lions earlier this year, so Cameroon are likely to adopt their favoured 4-3-3 formation and concentrate more on containing Switzerland and waiting for openings, given the strength of their opposition.
Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa has been exceptional in Serie A leaders Napoli’s unbeaten start to the season domestically and qualification for the Champions League knockout stage, and the fleet-footed midfielder is one of the players who can spark Cameroon into recapturing the form that saw them reach the final four of AFCON.
Switzerland have shown in recent months that they can be entertainers, with Chicago Fire winger Xherdan Shaqiri’s perceptive passing and dangerous crosses providing a reliable supply line.
Shaqiri’s recipients include Breel Embolo, for whom the game has particular significance: the Monaco forward spent his childhood in his birthplace of Cameroon and later established a foundation to support projects in the country, as well as Switzerland and Peru.
Embolo is only 25 but will earn his 60th cap for Switzerland if he plays.
MORE: Switzerland vs Cameroon betting tips, odds & prediction
Switzerland projected starting 11
Switzerland predicted lineup (3-1-4-2, right to left): 1. Sommer (GK) — 5. Akanji, 2. Fernandes, 18. Cumart — 3. Widmer, 17. Vargas, 10. Xhaka, 8. Freuler, 6. Zakaria — 23. Shaqiri, 7. Breel Embolo
- Injured: none
- Suspended: none
Switzerland’first-choice goalkeeper Yann Sommer suffered an ankle injury in early October but played the full 90 minutes in the recent friendly defeat to Ghana.
Striker Haris Seferovic, who has proved key in recent years for his national side, has struggled for form at club level this season and may have to settle for a place on the bench in their opener.
Cameroon projected starting 11
Cameroon (4-3-3, right to left): 23. Onana (GK) — 19. Fai, 21. Castelletto, 3. N’Koulou, 25. Tolo — 18. Hongla 20. Mbeumo, 8. Anguissa — 22. Ntcham, 7. N’Koudou 13. Choupo-Moting
- Injured: none
- Suspended: none
Cameroon are one of few teams in Qatar without any notable injuries – and they’ll be hoping that luck continues throughout the tournament.
Bayern Munich striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting is likely to be key for the side.
Switzerland vs Cameroon World Cup squads
Here are the 26 names on each team’s squad lists at the World Cup in Qatar:
Switzerland
| Position | Player | Club | Age | Caps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Yann Sommer | Borussia Monchengladbach (GER) | 33 | 77 |
| Goalkeeper | Gregor Kobel | Borussia Dortmund (GER) | 24 | 3 |
| Goalkeeper | Philipp Kohn | RB Salzburg (AUT) | 24 | 0 |
| Goalkeeper | Jonas Omlin | Montpellier (FRA) | 24 | 3 |
| Defender | Fabian Schar | Newcastle (ENG) | 30 | 73 |
| Defender | Manuel Akanji | Manchester City (ENG) | 27 | 43 |
| Defender | Ricardo Rodriguez | Torino (ITA) | 30 | 100 |
| Defender | Nico Elvedi | Borussia Monchengladbach (GER) | 26 | 40 |
| Defender | Silvan Widmer | Mainz (GER) | 29 | 34 |
| Defender | Eray Comert | Valencia (SPA) | 24 | 10 |
| Midfielder | Granit Xhaka | Arsenal (ENG) | 30 | 107 |
| Midfielder | Remo Freuler | Nottingham Forest (ENG) | 30 | 49 |
| Midfielder | Fabian Frei | Basel (SUI) | 33 | 22 |
| Midfielder | Denis Zakaria | Chelsea (ENG) | 25 | 43 |
| Midfielder | Djibril Sow | Frankfurt (GER) | 25 | 32 |
| Midfielder | Renato Steffen | Lugano (SUI) | 30 | 27 |
| Midfielder | Michel Aebischer | Bologna (ITA) | 25 | 11 |
| Midfielder | Ardon Jashari | Luzern (SWI) | 20 | 1 |
| Midfielder | Fabian Rieder | Young Boys | 20 | 0 |
| Midfielder | Xherdan Shaqiri | Chicago Fire (USA) | 31 | 109 |
| Midfielder | Ruben Vargas | Augsburg (GER) | 24 | 27 |
| Midfielder | Edimilson Fernandes | Mainz (GER) | 26 | 22 |
| Forward | Noah Okafor | RB Salzburg (AUT) | 22 | 8 |
| Forward | Christian Fassnacht | Young Boys (SUI) | 28 | 15 |
| Forward | Haris Seferovic | Galatasaray (TUR) | 30 | 88 |
| Forward | Breel Embolo | Monaco (FRA) | 25 | 59 |
Cameroon
| Position | Player | Club | Age | Caps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Simon Ngapandouetnbu |
Marseille (FRA) | 19 | 0 |
| Goalkeeper | Devis Epassy | Abha (KSA) | 29 | 5 |
| Goalkeeper | Andre Onana | Inter Milan (ITA) | 26 | 33 |
| Defender | Nicolas Nkoulou | Aris (GRE) | 32 | 78 |
| Defender | Nouhou Tolo | Seattle Sounders (USA) | 25 | 18 |
| Defender | Oliver Mbaizo | Philadelphia Union (USA) | 25 | 11 |
| Defender | Collins Fai | Al Tai (KSA) | 29 | 52 |
| Defender | Jean-Charles Castelletto | Nantes (FRA) | 27 | 14 |
| Defender | Enzo Ebosse | Udinese (ITA) | 23 | 2 |
| Defender | Christopher Wooh | Rennes (FRA) | 21 | 3 |
| Midfielder | Olivier Ntcham | Swansea City (WAL) | 26 | 3 |
| Midfielder | Pierre Kunde | Olympiakos (GRE) | 27 | 32 |
| Midfielder | Martin Hongla | Verona (ITA) | 24 | 19 |
| Midfielder | Samuel Gouet | Mechelen (BEL) | 24 | 22 |
| Midfielder | Gael Ondoa | Hannover 96 (GER) | 26 | 4 |
| Midfielder | Andre-Franck Zambo-Anguissa | Napoli (ITA) | 26 | 43 |
| Forward | Moumi Ngamaleu | Dynamo Moscow (RUS) | 28 | 42 |
| Forward | Jerome Ngom Mbekeli | Apejec FC (CAM) | 24 | 2 |
| Forward | Jean-Pierre Nsame | Young Boys (SWI) | 29 | 4 |
| Forward | Georges-Kevin Nkoudou | Besiktas (TUR) | 27 | 2 |
| Forward | Vincent Aboubakar | Al Nassr (KSA) | 30 | 91 |
| Forward | Karl Toko Ekambi | Lyon (FRA) | 30 | 51 |
| Forward | Bryan Mbeumo | Brentford (ENG) | 23 | 3 |
| Forward | Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting | Bayern Munich (GER) | 33 | 69 |
| Forward | Christian Bassogog | SH Shenhua (CHI) | 27 | 43 |
| Forward | Marou Souaibou | Coton Sport FC (CAM) | 21 | 3 |
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