France vs Sweden Preview: Team News & Prediction | FIFA World Cup 2026 | Round of 32
France have looked extremely good at FIFA World Cup 2026 thus far as Les Bleus now begin their knockout campaign with a clash against one of the third-placed qualifiers, Sweden.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – ITV / USA – FOX Sports
How to watch online: UK – ITVX / USA – FOX One
France preview: Impressive French
Didier Deschamps was not in the dugout due to the passing of his mother as France wrapped up top spot in Group I in Boston with a 4-1 win against Norway. The French were up against a heavily rotated Norwegian side but still made them pay with Ousmane Dembele scoring a first-half hat-trick before Desire Doue scored his first FIFA World Cup goal late on.
The star-studded 2018 winners and 2022 runners-up look a very strong side in what is Didier Deschamps’ seventh and final tournament in charge of the national team. They appear to have cut loose, at least for now, with ten goals scored in their three group stage games.
Sweden preview: Through the backdoor again
Sweden qualified for FIFA World Cup 2026 via the UEFA play-offs, having failed to win any of their games in the group stages but earning their play-off spot due to their 2024-25 UEFA Nations League results. They have now made the knockout stages of the tournament as one of eight best third-placed teams this summer.
The Scandinavians began their FIFA World Cup campaign with a 5-1 demolition of crisis team Tunisia in Monterrey before they then succumbed to a defeat by the same scoreline against the Netherlands. Their group stage ended with a 1-1 draw against Japan as they finished third in a tough Group F.
France team news: Saliba should be fine
Further team news will appear here closer to the match after pre-match press conferences…
France named what was more-or-less their strongest eleven against Norway in their final group stage game but they did make one big change as Arsenal centre-back William Saliba was rested as he nurses a back injury, although he is expected to be available for this one.
Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola have been vying for the starting spot alongside Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembele and Kylian Mbappe, with Doue set to win that race for now. There is also a debate about the left-back position with Lucas Hernandez seemingly set to get the nod, while Adrien Rabiot is expected to be preferred to Aurelien Tchouameni alongside Manu Kone in midfield.
Predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Kounde, Saliba, Upamecano, L. Hernandez; Kone, Rabiot; Dembele, Olise, Doue; Mbappe
Unavailable:
Questionable: Saliba (Fitness)
Sweden team news: Hien forced off
Further team news will appear here closer to the match after pre-match press conferences…
Atalanta centre-back Isak Hien was forced off due to a thigh injury against Japan and so he is now a major doubt for this one. Lucas Bergvall replaced him with Victor Lindelof dropping back from midfield but it would be more likely to see Graham Potter sure things up from the start here with Carl Starfelt starting in defence.
There is an expectation that Derby County goalkeeper Jacob Widell Zetterstrom keeps his place as the new first-choice ‘keeper ahead of Kristoffer Nordfeldt, while Anthony Elanga gets the nod behind Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres.
Predicted XI (3-4-1-2): Zetterstrom; Lagerbielke, Starfelt, Lindelof; Bernhardsson, Ayari, Bergvall, Gudmundsson; Elanga; Isak, Gyokeres
Unavailable:
Questionable: Hien (Injured)
France’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Ousmane Dembele ($10.0m) – Midfielder
Michael Olise ($10.0m) – Midfielder
Kylian Mbappe ($10.5m) – Forward
Matchday 4 captain pick: Kylian Mbappe
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Kylian Mbappe
Free kicks: Michael Olise
Corners: Michael Olise
Sweden’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Victor Lindelof ($4.0m) – Defender
Alexander Isak ($8.0m) – Forward
Viktor Gyokeres ($7.8m) – Forward
Matchday 4 captain pick: Viktor Gyokeres
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Viktor Gyokeres, Alexander Isak
Free kicks: Anthony Elanga, Mattias Svanberg
Corners: Daniel Svensson, Anthony Elanga, Yasin Ayari
Key stats
- This is the first World Cup meeting between France and Sweden, despite both countries having a combined total of 130 matches played in the competition (France 76; Sweden 54).
- Overall, they have met 23 times with 12 wins for France, six for Sweden and five draws.
- France have won their last six FIFA World Cup matches against fellow European teams.
- This is only the second time that France won all three matches in an opening round group after also doing so in 1998 when they went on to win the title.
- France have won 14 of their last 17 encounters at the FIFA World Cup (D2 L1).
- France have been successful in 16 of their last 19 World Cup knockout phase ties.
- Kylian Mbappé has scored eight goals in eight World Cup knockout round matches for France.
- Didier Deschamps has led France against Sweden on five previous occasions, overseeing four wins and one defeat.
- Sweden have reached the knockout phase in each of their last five FIFA World Cup campaigns.
- Sweden have lost four of their last five World Cup matches against European teams (W1).
- Anthony Elanga is the first Swedish player to score in successive FIFA World Cup matches since Kennet Andersson in 1994 – Andersson went on to score in a third consecutive game.
Click here for EVEN MORE stats & facts about this fixture!
France vs Sweden prediction
France’s brilliant scoring form is not necessarily something that has only just begun to evolve and develop recently. The French have now scored three or more goals in eight of their last 11 matches - only failing to do so in a 2-2 draw against Iceland in Reykjavik, a 2-1 defeat of Brazil in March and a 2-1 loss to the Cote d’Ivoire before the tournament.
Sweden themselves have also been brilliant to watch at both ends of the pitch. Graham Potter’s side saw their three group stage matches consist of 14 goals and that means that their seven games in 2026 have produced 31 goals in total.
This one is again expected to be a high-scoring clash and Sweden may well punish the French with their quality in attack in the form of Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres, but the French should still blow them away in New York/New Jersey.
France vs Sweden betting tip: France to win & over 2.5 goals
