Nation dossier · Group F · In contention
Sweden
Kingdom of Sweden
Latest Japan 1–1 Sweden · Group F
Title probability
0.1%
as of 2026-06-25
Overview
Sweden arrive at a crossroads of generations. After the painful failure to reach Qatar 2022 and a stuttering road since, the Blågult have rebuilt around a frightening attacking spine. The forward line — anchored by Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres — is arguably among the most lethal in Europe, and qualification was driven by that firepower.
The challenge remains balance. With Zlatan long gone and stalwarts like Forsberg in the twilight, Sweden are blending elite Premier League attackers with a defence still searching for cohesion. Reaching a first World Cup since 2018 is itself a statement of revival.
Expectations are cautious but real: a country used to punching above its weight believes this golden crop of strikers can drag them deep into the knockout rounds.
Capital
Stockholm
Population
10,500,000
Confederation
UEFA
FIFA code
SWE
From Wikipedia
Kingdom of Sweden fields one of the 48 national teams contesting the 2026 FIFA World Cup across the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Source: Wikipedia →Squad
- 175caps
Robin Olsen
Aston Villa · Experienced veteran shot-stopper
- 1218caps
Kristoffer Nordfeldt
Gaziantep FK · Reliable backup option
- 234caps
Viktor Johansson
Stoke City · Rising goalkeeping prospect
- 245caps
Emil Krafth
Newcastle United · Steady right-back option
- 375caps
Victor Lindelöf
Aston Villa · Composed defensive leader
- 418caps
Isak Hien
Aston Villa · Athletic ball-winning centre-back
- 555caps
Ludwig Augustinsson
Mainz 05 · Attacking left-back veteran
- 610caps
Hjalmar Ekdal
Burnley · No-nonsense central defender
- 1415caps
Carl Starfelt
Celta Vigo · Aerially dominant stopper
- 158caps
Daniel Svensson
Borussia Dortmund · Versatile left-sided defender
- 1720caps
Gabriel Gudmundsson
Lille · Energetic overlapping full-back
- 835caps
Mattias Svanberg
Wolfsburg · Box-to-box engine
- 1085caps
Emil Forsberg
New York Red Bulls · Creative talisman and captain
- 1625caps
Jens Cajuste
Napoli · Powerful midfield runner
- 1845caps
Kristoffer Olsson
FC Midtjylland · Tidy deep-lying playmaker
- 1915caps
Hugo Larsson
Eintracht Frankfurt · Elegant emerging midfield talent
- 2012caps
Yasin Ayari
Brighton · Tenacious young midfielder
- 226caps
Anton Salétros
AIK · Combative midfield depth
- 745caps
Dejan Kulusevski
Tottenham Hotspur · Dynamic wide creator
- 930caps
Viktor Gyökeres
Arsenal · Relentless goalscoring machine
- 1150caps
Alexander Isak
Liverpool · Clinical world-class striker
- 1318caps
Jesper Karlsson
Lens · Direct two-footed winger
- 2125caps
Anthony Elanga
Newcastle United · Blistering pace on the flank
Model
as of 2026-06-25Exp. points
4.17
Proj. finish
21.7
Seed Elo
1740
Title-probability trajectory
Champion chance across the last 14 snapshots
Matches
History
2022
Did not qualify / Group stage
Culture
Football culture
Football is the nation's most popular sport, governed by a strong grassroots club system that feeds top European leagues. Swedes cherish their national team's tournament tradition and supporter culture of yellow shirts and tifo displays. The women's game is equally revered, with Sweden a perennial global force.
Did you know
- Sweden reached the 1958 World Cup final on home soil — their best-ever result.
- Zlatan Ibrahimović is the nation's all-time top scorer with 62 goals.
- Sweden knocked out reigning champions Italy en route to Russia 2018.
- The country produces more pop music exports per capita than almost anywhere on earth.
- Allsvenskan is one of the world's oldest professional football leagues.