There are many question marks and few blue-and-yellow center-backs ahead of Tuesday's World Cup qualifier away against Italy. The squad only has two outstanding central defenders, and both – Elma Junttila Nelhage and Bella Andersson – are also very untested at this level.
A couple of experienced mainstays have recently ended their national team careers (Magdalena Eriksson and Linda Sembrant) while others are missing due to injuries (Nathalie Björn and Amanda Ilestedt).
At the same time, there are center-backs with national team experience, such as Josefine Rybrink and Emma Kullberg, who have still not been selected for the squad.
Sitting in the stands
The back line is not Gustavsson's only problem. The other day Arsenal striker Stina Blackstenius left the squad for family reasons. Against Italy she will probably be replaced by either Frankfurt's Rebecka Blomqvist, in fine goalscoring form at the moment, or Häcken's 18-year-old talent Felicia Schröder.
Another one that needs to be replaced, by the way, is:
Tony Gustavsson.
"We have made a plan for how we will handle it, and I am absolutely sure that Johanna, who is our first assistant, will do a great job as national team captain," says Gustavsson.
He himself will sit in the stands. An outburst against the referees in the Nations League bronze medal match against France in December resulted in a red card, and Gustavsson is suspended. In his place, assistant national captain Johanna Almgren will step in as the main person in charge, with Niklas Egnell (also an assistant) as support.
"Everything looks the same until we get to the stadium 90 minutes before. Then I get to check out from the team and sit and watch the game, and then I can be with the team again after the game."
One straight to the World Cup
He is not used to sitting still. The 52-year-old is usually very active on the sidelines, making loud gestures and giving instructions. Now he has to settle for "sitting and being nervous."
"Someone summed it up quite wisely to me a year ago: It's nerve-wracking to be a player, it's even more nerve-wracking to be a coach, and it's most nerve-wracking to sit in the stands," says Gustavsson.
Only the top team in the group, which also includes Serbia and Denmark, will go directly to the World Cup in Brazil in 2027. The other three will go to the playoffs.
Lasse Mannheimer/TT
David Hjorter/TT
Facts: The World Cup qualifying schedule
TT
Sweden is playing in Group A1 in the European qualifiers for the 2027 Women's World Cup. This is how Sweden's schedule looks:
March 3: Italy (away).
March 7: Serbia (away).
April 14: Denmark (home).
April 18: Serbia (home).
June 5: Denmark (away).
June 9: Italy (home).
The World Cup qualifiers are played like the Nations League (NL) - where the national teams have been divided into four-team groups in three different divisions.
Sweden plays in the A-division.
If Sweden wins the group, the national team will qualify directly for the World Cup in Brazil.
If the national team finishes second or third in the group, they will first face a team from Division C in a playoff. If they win, they will then face a team that either came last in Division A or from Division B in a decisive two-legged tie.
If the national team finishes last in their group, they will be relegated to the B division for the next edition of the NL, but they will still have a chance in the playoffs. Then they will need to win two two-legged ties.
The six group stage matches will be played in March, April and June next year.
The first round of the playoffs is scheduled for October 2026, while the decisive playoff round will be played in late November - early December.
In total, Europe has twelve places in the World Cup, one of which is through an intercontinental playoff.
