Sweden vs Tunisia Preview: Team News & Prediction | FIFA World Cup 2026 | Group Stage
Entering through the backdoor of UEFA qualification for FIFA World Cup 2026, Sweden kick off their campaign against the stubborn Tunisians in Monterrey.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – ITV / USA – FOX Sports
How to watch online: UK – ITVX / USA – FOX One
Sweden preview: Improved Swedes
Graham Potter took charge of a significantly underperforming Sweden side and, initially, failed to get any improvement out of them as they finished rock-bottom of their qualifying group without a win against Switzerland, Slovenia and Kosovo.
Their 2024/25 UEFA Nations League performance allowed them into the play-offs, though, and the Viktor Gyokeres-inspired Swedes defeated Ukraine by three goals to one in Poland before then beating the Polish by two goals to nil in Stockholm.
In their pre-tournament friendlies, Sweden head into the tournament on the back of a 3-1 loss to impressive fellow Scandinavians Norway before an entertaining 2-2 draw with Greece.
Tunisia preview: A change of era
Tunisia underwhelmed at the CAF Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year and that led to a change in management with former France international and former Nottingham Forest boss Sabri Lamouchi taking charge of the Eagles of Carthage a few months ago.
Lamouchi, quite surprisingly, has taken the decision to cull a lot of the experienced members of the Tunisian squad. The North Africans still have a bit of fair bit of experience and some quality but their intent will be to try and soak up pressure and, as ever, be awkward to play against.
Tunisia come into their opener on the back of a fairly poor build-up, beaten 1-0 by ten-man Austria before then succumbing to a 5-0 hammering at the hands of Belgium a few days' later in their pre-tournament friendlies.
Sweden team news
Juventus defender Emil Holm had to withdraw from the squad, replaced by Dallas' Herman Johansson. Aside from that, though, at the time of writing, there doesn't appear to be any other injury issues for the Swedes to deal with ahead of facing Tunisia in their opener.
Graham Potter is expected to stick with his back three shape and, while having barely played together in that system, Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres are the main reason for why Potter is going for that, seeking to get the best out of their big money, big name forwards.
Leeds United defender Gabriel Gudmundsson has suffered from illness in the build-up to the game but Potter has said he will play if he comes through training well on Saturday.
Predicted XI (3-4-1-2): Nordfeldt; Lagerbielke, Starfelt, Lindelof; Svensson, Ayari, Karlstrom, Gudmundsson; Nygren; Isak, Gyokeres
Unavailable:
Questionable: Gudmundsson (Illness)
Tunisia team news: Mejbri a doubt
Burnley midfielder Hannibal Mejbri remains an injury doubt for the Tunisians in their opener against Sweden. He sustained an injury against Austria and missed their clash against Belgium but he hasn't, at the time of writing, been ruled out of the clash with the Swedes.
There will be an importance on his fellow midfielders, Ellyes Skhiri and Rani Khedira, to provide much-needed defensive cover in what is expected to be a low block as Sweden seek to spring fast attacks and get the ball to their strikers as quickly as possible.
Predicted XI (3-4-2-1): Chamakh; Arous, Talbi, Rekik; Valery, Skhiri, Khedira, Ben Hamida; Ben Slimane, Mejbri; Achouri
Unavailable:
Questionable: Mejbri (Injured)
Sweden’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Victor Lindelof ($1.9m) – Defender
Alexander Isak ($8.0m) – Forward
Viktor Gyokeres ($7.8m) – Forward
Matchday 1 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
Tunisia’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Montassar Talbi ($3.9m) – Defender
Anis Ben Silmane ($5.3m) – Midfielder
Hannibal Mejbri ($4.8m) – Midfielder
Matchday 1 captain pick: Hannibal Mejbri
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Ismael Gharbi, Ali Abdi
Free kicks: Hannibal Mejbri
Corners: Hannibal Mejbri, Ali Abdi, Ismael Gharbi
Key stats
- Sweden are lining up in their 13th edition of the FIFA World Cup and are returning for the first time since 2018.
- Sweden’s best FIFA World Cup result came in 1958, when they finished as runners‑up to Brazil on home soil. The Swedes have placed in the top four on three other occasions: finishing third in both 1950 and 1994 and fourth in 1938.
- Sweden have lost their opening fixture in only two of their 12 previous FIFA World Cup participations (W5 D5): a 1-0 defeat to Italy in 1970 and a 2-1 loss to Brazil in 1990.
- Tunisia will make their seventh FIFA World Cupappearance in 2026, marking their third consecutive qualification. They have now reached six of the last eight editions.
- The Carthage Eagles made history on their World Cup debut in 1978, defeating Mexico 3-1 in their opening match to become the first African team to win a game at the tournament.
- Tunisia are aiming to open a FIFA World Cup campaign with a victory for the first time since their 3-1 win over Mexico in their debut tournament in 1978.
- Tunisia’s Sabri Lamouchi is in his second FIFA World Cup as a head coach, having previously led Côte d’Ivoire at the 2014 finals, where they were eliminated in the group stage.
- At 20 years and 132 days, Lucas Bergvall could become the youngest Swedish player ever to appear in a FIFA World Cup match, breaking the record held by Jesper Blomqvist (20 years, 134 days) against Cameroon on 19 June 1994.
- At 18 years and 270 days, Rayan Elloumi could become the youngest player ever to appear for Tunisia at a FIFA World Cup, breaking the record held by Yassine Chikhaoui (19 years, 265 days) against Saudi Arabia on 14 June 2006.
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Sweden vs Tunisia prediction
Sweden have been quite entertaining to watch in 2026, with Graham Potter getting his teeth into the job. However, the way in which they played in the FIFA World Cup play-offs and then their pre-tournament friendlies was reliant on being able to play on the counter-attack. They now face a Tunisia side that do appear to be in a bad state as they begin the tournament but with their normal style only enhanced further by the naturally defensive Lamouchi, a low-scoring encounter seems likely. Their 1-0 defeat to Austria, another side that rely on the counter-attack to get forward, may well be a good indicator of how this one goes.
Sweden vs Tunisia betting tip: Under 2.5 goals
