Switzerland vs Germany – News and Probable Lineups

The upcoming match between Germany and Switzerland at St. Jakob-Park on Friday is crucial for both countries as they gear up for the 2026 World Cup.

Each team will participate in two friendly matches during the March international break, which are significant for coaches Murat Yakin and Julian Nagelsmann as they finalize their squads for this summer’s event.

Match overview

Switzerland had a strong showing in their qualifying campaign, finishing first in their four-team group with 14 points, securing four victories while remaining unbeaten.

They conceded just twice during the group stage and managed to score 14 goals, currently boasting an unbeaten streak of 10 matches across all competitions.

Among the 54 nations in UEFA’s qualifying competitions, only England conceded fewer goals (none), but they have not managed to keep a clean sheet in any of their 13 encounters with Germany.

The Rossoneri’s recovery in form has been impressive—their recent record shows seven wins from nine matches, a stark contrast to their earlier phase where they had failed to win in 10 of 11 games.

A victory for Yakin’s squad would mark their fifth consecutive win at St. Jakob-Park and would extend their home unbeaten run to seven games.

Germany topped their qualifying group, earning 15 points from a maximum of 18, scoring all 16 of their goals in their final five matches of the group stage.

High expectations are placed on Nagelsmann due to his strong reputation as a coach. Although he has led the team to five wins in the last five matches, they previously faced three losses and a draw in four games before that.

Germany last faced Switzerland in June 2024, resulting in a 1-1 draw, marking their third consecutive stalemate against the hosts for Friday.

The Nationalelf have maintained four consecutive clean sheets, yet the highest-ranked team they faced during this stretch was Slovakia, positioned 44th in the global rankings.

The away side has experienced just one defeat in their last seven away matches, achieving victory over their opponents in four of those outings.

Team News

Switzerland’s goalkeeper, Gregor Kobel, earned nine caps in 2025 and has been their standout shot-stopper for the 2025-26 season, making him likely to retain his place in goal.

The Borussia Dortmund keeper is expected to be shielded by a back four, with Nico Elvedi and Manuel Akanji confirming their positions at the center of defense.

Granit Xhaka is likely to be included in midfield, while Ruben Vargas and Dan Ndoye are expected to support striker Breel Embolo from the flanks.

Oliver Baumann will probably start in goal, supported by center-backs Jonathan Tah and Nico Schlotterbeck.

Joshua Kimmich has often played as a right-back, and if he is positioned in defense, it is likely that Angelo Stiller and Leon Goretzka will form a midfield pivot.

Florian Wirtz has typically operated from the left flank for Germany, whereas Liverpool has utilized him in a more central role, though there is no indication that Nagelsmann will alter his formation.

Switzerland probable starting XI:

Kobel; Widmer, Elvedy, Akanji, Rodriguez; Aebischer, Xhaka; Vargas, Rieder, Love; Embolo

Germany probable starting XI:

builder; Kimmich, Tah, Schlotterbeck, Room; Stiller, Goretzka; Sane, Gnabry, Wirtz; Woltemade

Meetings between these two teams have frequently been hard-fought, and both enter Friday’s match in excellent form.

Switzerland and Germany have shown strong form in front of goal, and their encounter at St. Jakob-Park promises to be an exciting one.