Sweden have named their final 26-man squad for the 2026 World Cup and there are plenty of familiar names on the list.
Graham Potter, the former Brighton, Chelsea and West Ham manager, has named a 26-man squad for this summers tournament in United States, Canada and Mexico in what will be the nation’s first appearance at the World Cup since 2018.
There are plenty of players within the squad who play in the English leagues, with Victor Lindelöf, Gabriel Gudmundsson, Hjalmar Ekdal, Yasin Ayari, Lucas Bergvall, Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyökeres and Anthony Elanga all included. There is also interest from the EFL, with Stoke City’s Viktor Johansson and Derby County’s Jacob Widell Zetterström both included.
Sweden World Cup 2026 squad
| Squad number | Player | Position | Domestic club | International caps | International goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | Kristoffer Nordfeldt | GK | AIK (Sweden) | 20 | 0 |
| 12 | Viktor Johansson | GK | Stoke City (England) | 12 | 0 |
| 1 | Jacob Widell Zetterström | GK | Derby County (England) | 2 | 0 |
| 3 | Victor Lindelöf | DF | Aston Villa (England) | 75 | 3 |
| 13 | Ken Sema | DF | Pafos (Cyprus) | 32 | 5 |
| 4 | Isak Hien | DF | Atalanta (Italy) | 27 | 0 |
| 5 | Gabriel Gudmundsson | DF | Leeds United | 23 | 0 |
| 15 | Carl Starfelt | DF | Celta Vigo (Spain) | 17 | 0 |
| 14 | Hjalmar Ekdal | DF | Burnley (England) | 11 | 0 |
| 8 | Daniel Svensson | DF | Borussia Dortmund (Germany) | 11 | 0 |
| 2 | Gustaf Lagerbielke | DF | Braga (Portugal) | 9 | 2 |
| 6 | Herman Johansson | DF | FC Dallas (United States) | 2 | 0 |
| 20 | Eric Smith | DF | St Pauli (Germany) | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Elliot Stroud | DF | Mjällby (Sweden) | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | Mattias Svanberg | MF | Wolfsburg (Germany) | 39 | 2 |
| 16 | Jesper Karlström | MF | Udinese (Italy) | 23 | 0 |
| 18 | Yasin Ayari | MF | Brighton (England) | 19 | 3 |
| 7 | Lucas Bergvall | MF | Tottenham (England) | 8 | 0 |
| 22 | Besfort Zeneli | MF | Union Saint-Gilloise (Belgium) | 6 | 0 |
| 9 | Alexander Isak | FW | Liverpool (England) | 56 | 16 |
| 17 | Viktor Gyökeres | FW | Arsenal (England) | 32 | 19 |
| 11 | Anthony Elanga | FW | Newcastle (England) | 28 | 6 |
| 21 | Alexander Bernhardsson | FW | Holstein Kiel (Germany) | 9 | 0 |
| 10 | Benjamin Nygren | FW | Celtic (Scotland) | 9 | 3 |
| 25 | Gustaf Nilsson | FW | Club Brugge (Belgium) | 8 | 3 |
| 26 | Taha Ali | FW | Malmo (Sweden) | 1 | 0 |
The Swedish squad has a few familiar names but the response to the squad has not be well received by many fans. The exclusion of Roony Bardghji is the main reason for displeasure, while the inclusion of Ken Sema has raised some eyebrows.
With only five defined midfielders and a total of 11 defenders registered, it seems like Potter is opting a defence-first approach but, with Isak and Gyokeres at their disposal in attack, there is plenty of room for optimism from the Blue and Yellow supporters.
Three players to look out for this summer
Alexander Isak (Liverpool)
It’s been a tough season for Isak following his big-money move to Liverpool last summer. He struggled to find his feet at Anfield and then, just when things were looking up, suffered a broken leg. His return has seen him find the net for the Reds again but things still aren’t perfect for him.
The World Cup represents a big chance for Isak to push himself back into the form that he discovered for Newcastle in the two previous years and build some momentum ahead of the new domestic season.
Viktor Gyokeres (Arsenal)
Gyokeres is another Swedish striker that was the subject of a Premier League move for a large sum of money last summer, moving from Sporting CP to Arsenal. His debut season for the Gunners has been much more impressive than his strike partner, though, with 25 goals in all competitions this season.
He’s likely to spearhead the Swedish attack and could be vital in their chances of moving out of Group F and beyond. Things could be tough for Sweden, as they take on Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia but Gyokeres’ ability in front of goal could be the difference maker.
Lucas Bergvall (Sweden)
Potter has named just five out-and-out midfielders in his squad, perhaps indicating a tactical set up that includes a five-man defence. Bergvall could profit from that, giving Sweden great ball movement and driving runs from the centre of the pitch.
It’s not been a great season for the 20-year-old, with a mix of injury and Tottenham’s poor performances hampering his development, but he’s long been touted as one of the most exciting young prospects in Europe and this summer could prove to be the first step in realising that potential and proving himself as a truly elite midfield option.
Sweden World Cup 2026 fixtures
Sweden World Cup 2026 odds
| Market | Odds |
|---|---|
| Sweden to win the World Cup | 150/1 with BOYLE Sports |
| Sweden to finish as runners-up | 66/1 with Bet365 |
| Sweden to be eliminated in the semi-final | 28/1 with Bet365 |
| Sweden to be eliminated in the quarter-final | 10/1 with Bet365 |
| Sweden to be eliminated in the Round of 16 | 5/1 with Sporting Index |
| Sweden to be eliminated in the Round of 32 | 6/4 with Betway |
| Sweden to qualify from Group F | 4/9 with Bet365 |
| Sweden to not qualify from Group F | 13/8 with Bet365 |
| Sweden top goalscorer betting | Viktor Gyokeres – 2/1 with BetVictor |
| Alexander Isak – 3/1 with BetVictor | |
| Anthony Elanga – 5/1 with BetVictor |
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