Europe has 16 of a total of 48 places in the football World Championship in the summer of 2026. The twelve group winners in the qualifying round get a direct place – the twelve group seconds play in the spring a playoff for the last four places and then get company from four nations that won their group in the Nations League the previous spring. It's about four NL group winners who failed to finish first or second in their World Championship qualifying group.
Despite the debacle in Pristina, Sweden still has three possible ways to the World Championship:
+ Group victory
Sweden is already five points behind Switzerland, but the hope of a group victory still lives. Sweden will next face Switzerland in Solna (October 10) before the World Championship qualifying continues against Kosovo (October 13, Gothenburg), Switzerland (November 15, Geneva) and Slovenia (November 18, Solna).
Winning all the remaining matches is guaranteed to get past Switzerland in the table. If Sweden loses more points in the World Championship qualifying, it will be even more difficult to achieve the group victory.
+ Second place and playoff
Sweden's chances of at least taking a second place in the group can still be considered relatively good. Not least since Blågult play three of their four remaining matches at home.
It may be enough to win against Kosovo and Slovenia to become group second and thus be guaranteed to play the World Championship playoff in March.
+ Third or fourth place and playoff
If Sweden continues to fail in the autumn qualifying, there is, at best, a lifeline thanks to the Nations League.
Blågult was ranked as the tenth best NL group winner, but only four get to play the playoff. This means that at least six of the better-ranked NL winners must finish top two in their World Championship qualifying group for the lifeline to be available to Sweden.
Much remains of the World Championship qualifying, but Sweden has, with the current table situation in the groups (see fact box), a lifeline to the playoff. This is because six of the nine teams that are ranked ahead of Sweden do not need to use their lifelines.
In the playoff, the 16 teams are drawn into four groups where semifinals and finals are played, both in single matches. The highest-ranked team plays at home. The venue for the final is drawn. Both matches are played in March.
Daniel Kihlström/TT
Carl Göransson/TT
Facts: The chance of a Swedish World Championship lifeline
TT
Sweden can, if the team finishes third or fourth in its World Championship qualifying group, get a lifeline to the playoff thanks to its group victory in the Nations League. But then it requires that at least six of the nine higher-ranked group winners finish first or second in their World Championship qualifying groups.
The situation in the World Championship qualifying for the nine best NL group winners (after ranking):
1 Spain (group E)
Leading its group with a maximum of six points ahead of Georgia and Turkey (both three points). Spain's next match: 11/10 Georgia (home).
2 Germany (group A)
Germany is third in its group with three points after two matches played after surprisingly losing to Slovakia in the World Championship qualifying premiere last week. Then won against Northern Ireland, which has the same points. Slovakia leads with six points. Germany's next match: 10/10 Luxembourg (h).
3 Portugal (group F)
Portugal won the World Championship qualifying premiere on the plane against Armenia 5–0. Meets Hungary, which drew against Ireland, on Tuesday evening.
4 France (group D)
Beat Ukraine in its qualifying premiere (2–0). On Tuesday evening, Iceland is waiting, which won against Azerbaijan in the first round.
5 England (group K)
Storming towards the World Championship in a five-team group. Has taken a maximum of 12 points and meets on Tuesday the second-placed Serbia, which has seven points with one fewer match played.
6 Norway (group I)
Took a firm grip on first place via an impressive 3–0 at home against Italy in June and stands on a maximum of 12 points. Italy is second after winning with a crazy 5–4 away against Israel. Both teams have nine points now, but Israel has one more match played. Norway will face Moldova (zero points) at home on Tuesday. Estonia is the fifth team in the group (three points).
7 Wales (group J)
The group is a real hornet's nest where North Macedonia is first with 11 points – Belgium and Wales have 10 points. All teams in the group have played five matches except for Belgium, which has four matches played. Kazakhstan (three points) and Liechtenstein (zero) are also part of the group. Next match for Romania: 13/10 Belgium (away).
8 Czech Republic (group L)
Czech Republic is second with 12 points after four wins and one loss, but has the same number of points as the first-placed Croatia (one match fewer played). Montenegro and the Faroe Islands have six points. Gibraltar stands on zero points. Next match for Czech Republic: 9/10 Croatia (home).
9 Romania (group H)
Is third in its group after two wins and two losses. The surprise team Bosnia and Herzegovina leads with a maximum of 12 points. Austria is third with nine points after three matches played. Romania meets Cyprus away on Tuesday. Austria takes on the bottom team San Marino at the same time.
