The World Cup will be played in the USA, Canada, and Mexico between June 11 and July 19. Sweden will play in Group F alongside the Netherlands, Japan, and Tunisia.
Expected Swedish Starting Lineup in the World Cup
The most likely Swedish starting lineup appears to be a 4-4-2 or a flexible 4-2-3-1/4-4-2 where Isak and Gyökeres play together. Potter has hinted that he sees Isak in an offensive role, likely alongside Gyökeres. However, this duo has a lot to prove, and in the final friendly against Greece, the collaboration between the stars didn't work out as well.
Expected Starting Lineup:
- Goalkeeper: Viktor Johansson
- Defenders: Emil Holm, Isak Hien, Victor Nilsson Lindelöf, Daniel Svensson
- Midfielders: Anthony Elanga, Lucas Bergvall, Mattias Svanberg, Yasin Ayari
- Forwards: Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyökeres
The attack is what makes Sweden interesting. Isak (Liverpool) and Gyökeres (Arsenal) give Potter two completely different but complementary threats: Isak's technique, movement, and calmness in depth combined with Gyökeres' power, pressing, and finishing. However, Isak has been injured for a longer period and only just returned to the Premier League before it ended, and Gyökeres' first season in Arsenal hasn't been the goal fest they had hoped for when he was signed from Sporting.
There are many question marks as the Swedish national team hasn't had time to gel. Will Elanga (Newcastle) start as a winger, joker, or pure striker? Will Bergvall (Spurs) get immediate trust in a World Cup? And who will be the first-choice goalkeeper? Both friendly matches against Norway and Greece, which served as dress rehearsals for the World Cup, left many questions unanswered. A joker who definitely got the crowd going and impressed with his dribbling was Malmö FF player Taha Ali. Even Isak expressed great admiration for Ali after the match against Greece, which ended 2-2.
Sweden's Entire World Cup Squad 2026
Goalkeepers
| Player | Club |
|---|---|
| Viktor Johansson | Stoke City |
| Kristoffer Nordfeldt | AIK |
| Jacob Widell Zetterström | Derby County |
Defenders
| Player | Club |
|---|---|
| Victor Nilsson Lindelöf | Aston Villa |
| Isak Hien | Atalanta |
| Gabriel Gudmundsson | Leeds United |
| Carl Starfelt | Celta Vigo |
| Emil Holm | Juventus |
| Hjalmar Ekdal | Burnley |
| Daniel Svensson | Borussia Dortmund |
| Gustaf Lagerbielke | Braga |
| Eric Smith | FC St. Pauli |
| Elliot Stroud | Mjällby AIF |
Midfielders
| Player | Club |
|---|---|
| Mattias Svanberg | VfL Wolfsburg |
| Jesper Karlström | Udinese |
| Yasin Ayari | Brighton & Hove Albion |
| Lucas Bergvall | Tottenham Hotspur |
| Besfort Zeneli | Union Saint-Gilloise |
Forwards
| Player | Club |
|---|---|
| Alexander Isak | Liverpool |
| Viktor Gyökeres | Arsenal |
| Ken Sema | Pafos |
| Anthony Elanga | Newcastle United |
| Benjamin Nygren | Celtic |
| Alexander Bernhardsson | Holstein Kiel |
| Gustaf Nilsson | Club Brugge |
| Taha Ali | Malmö FF |
