France vs Sweden Prediction. France, unbeaten and top scorers of Group I, face Sweden in the Round of 32 at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford on Wednesday, 1 July 2026 (21:00 UTC (Tuesday, 30 June 2026) / 00:00 EAT (Wednesday, 1 July 2026)). Dembélé, Olise and Mbappé lead France; Isak and Gyökeres for Sweden. Our prediction: France to win. Full analysis, team news, line-ups and all markets on SportPesa.
Match details
| Field | Detail |
| Competition | 2026 FIFA World Cup — Round of 32 |
| Date & kick-off | Wednesday, 1 July 2026 at 21:00 UTC (Tuesday, 30 June 2026) / 00:00 EAT (Wednesday, 1 July 2026) |
| Venue | MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA |
| How they qualified | France: Group I winners (9pts, perfect record; 10 goals, 2 conceded). Sweden: Group F third place (4pts; beat Tunisia 5-1, lost Netherlands 5-1). |
| Historic significance | France bidding to become only the third team to reach three consecutive World Cup finals. |
| Format | Single elimination. If level after 90 mins: 30 mins extra time, then penalty shoot-out. |
| Winner faces | Germany or Paraguay (Round of 16). |
| Where to watch | DSTV/GOTV |
France’s perfect record vs Sweden’s uphill task
France have been the tournament’s most ruthless attacking force. Didier Deschamps’ side won all three Group I matches, scoring 10 goals and conceding just two. Ousmane Dembélé’s first-half hat-trick against Norway on Match Day 3 was a standout individual performance, and he retains his place here alongside Michael Olise and Kylian Mbappé, who leads the attacking line. Deschamps is expected to field his strongest available XI with almost no changes.
In defence, William Saliba is expected to be cleared despite a minor back issue, retaining his place alongside Dayot Upamecano. Maxence Lacroix, who started against Norway, returns to the bench. Adrien Rabiot comes back into midfield after being rested, meaning Manu Koné starts on the sidelines. Mike Maignan continues in goal.
France, two-time World Cup winners (1998, 2018), are bidding to become only the third nation in history to reach three consecutive World Cup finals, having lost the 2022 final to Argentina on penalties.
Sweden face a considerable challenge after finishing third in Group F. Their 5-1 demolition of Tunisia on Match Day 1 was followed by a 5-1 defeat to the Netherlands — a dramatic swing that exposed defensive vulnerabilities. They have conceded 12 goals in their last five matches. Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyökeres continue as the front two, while Anthony Elanga, who scored Sweden’s equaliser against Japan, makes his second tournament start. No changes are expected from the Swedish camp.
Team news and expected line-ups
France: Saliba cleared (minor back issue). Rabiot returns; Koné benched. Dembélé, Olise, Mbappé all start. Lacroix to bench.
Sweden: No changes expected. Isak and Gyökeres up front. Elanga starts — his second tournament start.
| France (4-3-3) | Sweden (4-4-2) |
| Maignan (GK) | Johansson (GK) |
| Koundé (RB) | Svensson (RB) |
| Saliba (CB) | Hien (CB) |
| Upamecano (CB) | Lindelöf (CB) |
| Hernandez (LB) | Gudmundsson (LB) |
| Tchouéméni (DM) | Ayari (RM) |
| Rabiot (CM) | Svanberg (CM) |
| Olise (RM) | Bergvall (LM) |
| Dembélé (RW) | Elanga (LW) |
| Doué (AM) | Isak (ST) |
| Mbappé (ST) | Gyökeres (ST) |
Key stats
- France: Group I winners. Perfect record — won all 3 matches. 10 goals scored, 2 conceded.
- Ousmane Dembélé: scored a first-half hat-trick vs Norway on MD3.
- Kylian Mbappé: leads France’s attack.
- France form (last 5): W W W W L (lost to Ivory Coast in a pre-tournament friendly).
- France: 1998 and 2018 World Cup winners. 2022 runners-up (lost final to Argentina on penalties).
- France: averaging more than 3 goals per game at this World Cup.
- Sweden: Group F third place on 4pts. Beat Tunisia 5-1 (MD1), lost Netherlands 5-1 (MD2).
- Sweden: only 1 win in their last 5 matches. Conceded 12 goals in that run.
- Alexander Isak (Newcastle) and Viktor Gyökeres (Sporting CP): Sweden’s striking partnership.
- Anthony Elanga: scored the equaliser vs Japan. Second tournament start here.
- Sweden: failed to qualify for 2022. Last appeared at 2018, reaching the quarter-finals.
- Sweden form (last 5): D L W D L.
- H2H (last 5): France W4 L1. Last meeting: France 4-2 Sweden (2020 UEFA Nations League).
- Both teams have scored in every match they have played at this World Cup.
Head-to-head
France have dominated recent meetings, winning four of the last five against Sweden. Their only defeat in that run came in a 2017 friendly. The most recent encounter was a 4-2 France win in the 2020 UEFA Nations League.
| Date | Result |
| 17 November 2020 | France 4–2 Sweden (UEFA Nations League) |
| 5 September 2020 | Sweden 0–1 France (UEFA Nations League) |
| 9 June 2017 | Sweden 2–1 France (Friendly) |
| 11 November 2016 | France 2–1 Sweden (Friendly) |
| 18 November 2014 | France 1–0 Sweden (Friendly) |
Current form
| Team | Last 5 (inc. WC group stage) |
| France | W W W W L — 10 goals in group stage; only loss was pre-tournament friendly |
| Sweden | D L W D L — 12 goals conceded in last 5 |
Our prediction
France should control possession and create the better chances throughout. They have averaged more than three goals per game at this World Cup, and the firepower of Mbappé, Dembélé and Olise presents a serious threat to a Swedish defence that has conceded 12 goals in five matches.
Sweden have shown they can score — Isak and Gyökeres are two of the most dangerous Premier League and Sporting CP strikers in this tournament — but their defensive issues mean clean sheets have been rare. Anything is possible in a knockout match, but it is unlikely Sweden can find a way to beat France here.
Our prediction: France to win.
Odds and markets
Odds correct at 0000 hrs UTC on 01/07/2026 and subject to change.
How to bet on SportPesa
- Open the France vs Sweden event page on SportPesa (link above).
- Choose your market — Single Bet (SB), Multi-Bet (MB), or Live Bet (LB) once the match starts.
- Enter your stake and place your bet.
Frequently asked questions
Build with Rank Math FAQ block to generate FAQPage schema automatically.
What time does France vs Sweden kick off?
Kick-off is at 21:00 UTC (Tuesday, 30 June 2026) / 00:00 EAT (Wednesday, 1 July 2026) on Wednesday, 1 July 2026, at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA.
Who scored France’s hat-trick vs Norway?
Ousmane Dembélé scored a first-half hat-trick in France’s final Group I match against Norway, helping them finish the group stage with a perfect record of three wins from three.
Can France reach three consecutive World Cup finals?
Yes, theoretically. France reached the final in 2018 (winning) and 2022 (losing to Argentina on penalties). A run to the 2026 final would make them only the third nation in World Cup history to reach three consecutive finals.
Why did Sweden finish third in Group F?
Sweden beat Tunisia 5-1 in their opening match but then suffered a 5-1 defeat to the Netherlands, exposing defensive issues that have persisted. They finished third in Group F on four points but progressed to the knockout stage.
What is the France vs Sweden head-to-head record?
France have won four of the last five meetings with Sweden. Their most recent encounter was a 4-2 France win in the 2020 UEFA Nations League. Sweden’s only win in that run came in a 2017 friendly.
READ ALSO: Mexico vs Ecuador Prediction
