A World Cup in the United States brings back special memories for Sweden fans of a certain vintage, as it was back in 1994 when Kennet Andersson, Henrik Larsson, Martin Dahlin and co. reached the semi-finals, narrowly losing to eventual champions Brazil before thrashing Bulgaria to take bronze, Blagult's best performance since finishing as runners-up on home soil in 1958.
The Swedes looked to be giving their historic predecessors a worthy next chapter in their World Cup book, beating Tunisia 5-1 in their biggest World Cup-opening win in 88 years, only for a 5-1 loss to the Netherlands to follow - their biggest loss at the finals since 1950.
However, a 1-1 draw in their final Group Stage match against Japan was enough to progress to the Round of 32 as one of the best third-placed teams in the competition. Despite stars such as Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres leading the line, Sweden could not cause an upset in the knockouts, going down 3-0 to France.
Sweden’s World Cup 2026 schedule and results
After the FIFA World Cup draw was made in December 2025, Sweden were one of four teams aiming to take the place allocated to the "UEFA Path B" winner, which had been drawn into Group F. Sweden's success in the playoffs meant they took the spot and will face Japan, Tunisia, and the Netherlands.
Sweden's full FIFA World Cup Group Stage schedule was as follows:
Sunday, 14th June: Sweden - Tunisia (5-1)
Saturday, 20th June: The Netherlands - Sweden (5-1)
Thursday, 25th June: Japan - Sweden (1-1)
Check out the full 2026 FIFA World Cup schedule in our article HERE >
Where did Sweden play their FIFA World Cup group games?
Sweden and Tunisia played their first 2026 FIFA World Cup match on Sunday, June 14th, at Estadio BBVA in Guadalupe, Mexico. For sponsorship reasons, the stadium is known as Estadio Monterrey during the tournament and holds 53,500 fans. Completed in 2015, the stadium is the home ground of Liga MX side CF Monterrey and is famous for it's views of the Cerro de la Silla mountain.
Sweden then moved from Mexico across the border to Texas, where they faced the Netherlands at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX. NRG Stadium, a 72,000-capacity stadium that will be named Houston Stadium during the FIFA World Cup, is the home of the Houston Texans NFL franchise.
Staying in the Lone Star State, Sweden completed their Group F campaign against Japan at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX. AT&T Stadium, which was named Dallas Stadium throughout the tournament, is the home of the NFL's Dallas Cowboys and houses 94,000 fans. Opening in 2009, it was one of the world's most expensive stadium at the time, costing $1.3 billion to build.
Sweden’s FIFA World Cup knockouts schedule
With a third-place finish in Group F, Sweden advanced as one of the best third-placed teams in the tournament. That set up a daunting tie against France in East Rutherford at the Round of 32 stage.
Tuesday, 30th June: France - Sweden (3-0)
Where did Sweden play their World Cup knockout game?
After the sweltering heat of Mexico and Texas, Sweden hoped for cooler conditions in their Round of 32 match against France at the MetLife Stadium, situated in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and known as the New York New Jersey Stadium for the tournament. With a capacity of 80,663, the home of the New York Jets and New York Giants NFL teams will also be the venue for the World Cup Final on 19th July.
Sweden's FIFA World Cup preparation
In preparation for the FIFA World Cup, the Swedes will play friendly matches against neighbours Norway, who have returned to the finals after a 28-year absence, and Greece, who failed to qualify, before jetting off for Mexico.
The warm-up schedule is as follows:
Monday, 1st June: Norway - Sweden (3-1)
Thursday, 4th June: Sweden - Greece (2-2)