Sweden

Sweden at the World Cup 2026

Sweden return to the World Cup after an eight-year absence — their last appearance was Russia 2018 (quarter-finals). Jon Dahl Tomasson, the former Denmark international and Blackburn Rovers manager, has been head coach since spring 2024 (replacing Janne Andersson after the disastrous Euro 2024 qualifying campaign). His remit was to integrate the new attacking generation — Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres — into a structure that the previous coach had been slow to embrace.

The squad's defining feature is the Isak-Gyökeres striking partnership. Alexander Isak (Liverpool since his world-record £150m+ move from Newcastle in summer 2025) is the more-mobile forward; Viktor Gyökeres (Arsenal since summer 2025 from Sporting CP, where he scored 97 goals in 102 matches) is the more-physical target striker. Tomasson uses them together in a 4-3-3 with one playing centrally and one drifting wide depending on opponent profile.

Veteran captain Emil Forsberg (New York Red Bulls since his summer 2024 MLS move from RB Leipzig) anchors the midfield. The new generation is led by Tottenham's Lucas Bergvall (19 years old, the prodigy). Defensively the back four features Victor Lindelöf (Aston Villa), Isak Hien (Atalanta) and Anthony Elanga as a wide attacking option from a wing-back position when Tomasson runs the alternate 3-4-3.

Group F contains the Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia. Sweden are competing with Japan for second place behind the Netherlands (favourites at 1.85). The realistic ceiling is a Round of 16 result (matching the modern Swedish baseline); the credible bottom is a group-stage exit. Outright tournament price 67.0 — mid-table among UEFA nations.

Group F fixtures

All three group-stage matches for Sweden at World Cup 2026 with current odds from our partner books.

Squad & predicted XI

Olsen · Lustig, Lindelöf, Hien, Augustinsson · Forsberg (c), Olsson, Bergvall · Gyökeres, Isak, Elanga

Formation: 4-3-3 · Coach: Jon Dahl Tomasson

How Sweden qualified for World Cup 2026

Sweden qualified from UEFA Group F with 16 points from 8 matches — first place ahead of Slovakia, Germany's qualifying-cycle near-misses, and the rest of the field. Five wins, one draw, two defeats. The standout result was a 3-1 home win over Slovakia in October 2025; the disappointing losses came in 0-2 at home to Slovakia in March 2025 (the result that prompted the Tomasson tactical evolution) and a 1-2 away in Bratislava.

Isak finished as the squad's leading qualifying scorer with 7 goals. Gyökeres added 6 across 6 starts. Forsberg contributed 4 assists from his deep-lying central midfield role. The Tomasson-era attacking output was the campaign feature — Sweden scored 24 goals in 8 qualifying matches, the highest per-match rate of any UEFA group winner from a non-top-tier nation.

The depth audition succeeded under Tomasson. Bergvall, despite his teenage status, started 6 of the 8 qualifying matches. Elanga (Newcastle since his 2024 move from Nottingham Forest) and Dejan Kulusevski (Tottenham) provide additional attacking depth beyond the Isak-Gyökeres axis.

World Cup history

Sweden have appeared at 13 previous World Cups. Best finish: runners-up at Sweden 1958 — lost the home-tournament final 5-2 to Brazil (the 17-year-old Pelé tournament). Third place at France 1938 and Brazil 1950. Quarter-finals at Russia 2018 (their most recent appearance, lost 2-0 to England). Round of 16 at South Korea/Japan 2002 and Germany 2006. They missed the 2010, 2014 and 2022 tournaments through qualifying failure.

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