Sweden have officially announced their 26-player squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026, marking their return to the global stage after an eight-year absence.
The final selection follows Sweden’s successful qualification campaign in March, which secured their place in the expanded 48-team tournament.
The Blågult made headlines with their unique qualification route, becoming the first team to reach the World Cup without winning a single match in their group, which was ultimately topped by Switzerland.
After advancing through the Nations League and winning their play-offs in March, Graham Potter’s side are now among the confirmed squads heading to North America. Sweden are the second nation, after Bosnia & Herzegovina, to reveal their final 26-man list.
Irrespective of their qualifying form, Sweden’s squad boasts serious attacking quality. Manager Graham Potter will field Liverpool’s Alexander Isak alongside Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres in a formidable frontline. Premier League followers will also recognise Anthony Elanga, Yasin Ayari, and Lucas Bergvall among the attacking options.
However, Tottenham Hotspur star Dejan Kulusevski misses out due to a long-term injury that has kept him sidelined throughout the season.
This will be Sweden’s first World Cup appearance since 2018, when they famously reached the quarter-finals after declining Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s late return. Gareth Southgate’s England ended their run that year, but expectations remain high for another deep campaign.
The last time Sweden were managed by an Englishman at the World Cup, they reached the final in 1958 under George Raynor. Supporters will be hoping Potter can inspire a similarly memorable journey this time around.
Here is Sweden’s full 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup:
Goalkeepers: Kristoffer Nordfeldt (AIK), Viktor Johansson (Stoke City), Jacob Widell Zetterstrom (Derby County)
Defenders: Victor Lindelof (Aston Villa), Isak Hien (Atalanta), Gabriel Gudmundsson (Leeds United), Carl Starfelt (Celta Vigo), Herman Johansson (FC Dallas), Hjalmar Ekdal (Burnley), Daniel Svensson (Borussia Dortmund), Gustaf Lagerbielke (Braga), Eric Smith (FC St. Pauli), Elliot Stroud (Mjallby AIF)
Midfielders: Mattias Svanberg (VfL Wolfsburg), Jesper Karlstrom (Udinese), Yasin Ayari (Brighton & Hove Albion), Lucas Bergvall (Tottenham Hotspur), Besfort Zeneli (Union Saint-Gilloise)
Forwards: Alexander Isak (Liverpool), Viktor Gyokeres (Arsenal), Ken Sema (Pafos), Anthony Elanga (Newcastle United), Benjamin Nygren (Celtic), Alexander Bernhardsson (Holstein Kiel), Gustaf Nilsson (Club Brugge), Taha Ali (Malmo FF)
Pre-tournament friendlies:
June 1, 2026: Norway vs Sweden, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway
June 4, 2026: Sweden vs Greece, Strawberry Arena, Solna, Sweden
Group stage fixtures:
June 14, 2026: Sweden vs Tunisia, Estadio BBVA, Guadalupe, Mexico
June 20, 2026: Netherlands vs Sweden, NRG Stadium, Houston, United States
June 25, 2026: Japan vs Sweden, AT&T Stadium, Arlington, United States
Recent results:
March 26: Poland 3-2 Sweden, Strawberry Arena, Solna, Sweden
March 26: Ukraine 1-3 Sweden, Stadion Wojska Polskiego w Warszawie, Warsaw, Poland
November 18, 2025: Sweden 1-1 Slovenia, Strawberry Arena, Solna, Sweden
November 15, 2025: Switzerland 4-1 Sweden, Stade de Geneve, Geneva, Switzerland
October 13, 2025: Sweden 0-1 Kosovo, Strawberry Arena, Solna, Sweden
October 10, 2025: Sweden 0-2 Switzerland, Strawberry Arena, Solna, Sweden
September 8, 2025: Kosovo 2-0 Sweden, Stadiumi Fadil Vokrri, Prishtine, Kosovo
September 5, 2025: Slovenia 2-2 Sweden, Stozice Stadium, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Manager Graham Potter is best known for his successful spell at Brighton & Hove Albion, where he guided them to their highest-ever Premier League points tally in his debut season. He matched that achievement the following year and then surpassed it with 51 points and a ninth-place finish in his third campaign.
Potter later managed Chelsea for 31 matches, a stint widely viewed as disappointing, before a brief period at West Ham United. He was appointed as head coach of the Swedish national team in October 2025.
Viktor Gyokeres, meanwhile, enters the tournament as one of Sweden’s most crucial players. Although he has not yet replicated his sensational 2024/25 season with Sporting, his current form with Arsenal—where he leads the club’s scoring charts in the Premier League and ranks second in Europe—makes him a vital figure. The 27-year-old was listed 13th in FourFourTwo’s ranking of the world’s best strikers.
While Gyokeres struggled during Sweden’s qualification campaign, failing to score in four appearances, his attacking prowess could be decisive as Sweden aim for a strong World Cup showing this summer.
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