Sweden get their 2026 World Cup campaign underway when they face Tunisia on Sunday at 3am (UK time).
Sweden are at the World Cup for the 13th time and are back after being absent in 2022. They reached the quarter-finals on their last appearance, and haven’t failed to make it out of the group stage since 1990. But that does also include more failures to qualify in 1998, 2010 and 2014.
Tunisia, meanwhile, have matched their best run of World Cup appearances with this being their third consecutive tournament. A seventh World Cup overall, Tunisia are yet to make it out of the group stage. And they’ve only won three of their 18 World Cup matches so far.
This will be the fifth meeting between these two sides, and Tunisia did win the last matchup. But that came in 2003, and was their first victory over Sweden. The European nation have won two games, with the first-ever meeting in 1976 finishing level.
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Sweden vs Tunisia team news
Sweden team news
Graham Potter has settled on a back three after taking charge of Sweden. And there’s no reason for him to change now. A lot of his positions pick themselves too, with Potter having clear favourites even after only six games in charge. Kristoffer Nordfeldt is the first-choice goalkeeper, playing three of Sweden’s four games this year. Viktor Lindelof missed the two pre-tournament friendlies but should return to the back three alongside Isak Hien and Gustaf Lagerbielke.
Gabriel Gudmundsson has the left wing-back role locked down, but there are some question marks over who will start on the right. Potter has used a few different players, with Herman Johansson a favourite. But Alexander Bernhardsson started the pre-tournament friendly against Greece which may point towards him starting this match. Yasin Ayari is an almost-certain starter in the midfield, while Jesper Karlstrom could partner him.
There could be a few different formations of the attack, but the players look set to be the same. Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak have been used as a two-man strike partnership, rather than Potter starting one instead of the other. Benjamin Nygren has been the main supporting man under Potter, and there’s no reason for that to change. That means the likes of Lucas Bergvall, Anthony Elanga and Gustaf Nilsson will have to make do with bench roles.
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Tunisia team news
The big question for Tunisia will be whether Ismael Gharbi is able to play after his red card in the friendly defeat to Belgium. Gharbi’s suspension should only count for friendlies, so he will be available and ready to start. But he might not be in the No.10 role. That could go to Hannibal Mejbri, who has been a favourite in one of the attacking roles this year. Anis Ben Slimane would then appear on the left, with Hazem Mastouri leading the line.
At the other end of the pitch, Mouhib Chamkh hasn’t been a Tunisia player long. In fact, he’s only played three times for his country. But they have come in Tunisia’s past three matches, and he looks to have taken the No.1 spot for the World Cup. He’ll be well protected by the centre-back pairing of Montassar Takbi and Omar Rekik, with the latter also becoming a favourite of late.
Tunisia do have some options at right-back, but Adem Arous appears to have taken charge of the race to start against Sweden. Yan Valery is another possibilty. On the left, Ali Abdi looks to be Sabri Lamouchi’s first-choice, though he was rested in the defeat to Belgium. Ellyes Skhiri is Tunisia’s captain and will start as one of the double pivot. He’ll hardly get a rest at the World Cup. Rani Khedira looks most likely to partner him in the midfield.
Sweden vs Tunisia predicted lineups
Sweden (3-4-1-2): Nordfeldt; Lindelof, Lagerbielke, Hien; Bernardsson, Ayari, Karlstrom, Gudmundsson; Nygren; Isak, Gyokeres.
Tunisia (4-2-3-1): Chamakh; Arous, Talbi, Rekik, Abdi; Skhiri, Khedira; Gharbi, Hannibal, Ben Slimane; Mastouri.
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