​Why Switzerland is listed as SUI on World Cup scoreboards, a note that originally appeared in The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a preferred source by clicking here. Switzerland isn’t a team that is typically favored to go deep in a World Cup. Yet they’re a squad that always seems to make a meaningful showing in the knockout rounds. They’re consistently solid, if not exceptional. And so, each time that happens, a question pops up. On scoreboards, Switzerland is abbreviated as SUI, not SWI. Why is that?
This has to do with the country’s name in a language other than English, which is often why country codes don’t align perfectly. Switzerland’s name in French is Suisse. Therefore, the abbreviation is SUI. It’s a linguistic quirk similar to how Morocco uses MAR for its code, for the same language-based reason. It’s important to note that this doesn’t affect what happens on the pitch; it’s simply a visual detail that catches the eye on the scoreboard at international sporting events, with the straightforward explanation behind it.
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