Preview: Sweden vs Tunisia - prediction, team news, lineups

Separated by seven places in the world rankings, Sweden and Tunisia commence their World Cup 2026 Group F quests in the early hours of Monday morning at the Estadio BBVA in Guadalupe.

The Scandinavian side are making their 13th - unlucky for some - appearance at the quadrennial event, while the Eagles of Carthage bid for a maiden knockout qualification at the seventh attempt.

Match preview

Turns out you can fail to win a single game in your World Cup Qualifying group and still earn a ticket to the greatest sporting show on earth.

The Nations League has divided opinion ever since it came into force, but for those of a Swedish persuasion, UEFA's brainchild was a sensational saviour, helping Blagult become the first team in history to reach a World Cup after finishing last in their qualification group without one victory.

The 1958 runners-up could not get the better of Kosovo, Slovenia or Switzerland in Group B, but Arsenal new boy Viktor Gyokeres rediscovered his prolific ways in the playoffs, firing in a hat-trick against Ukraine in the semi-finals before a pandemonium-inducing late winner against a crestfallen Poland in the final.

Ex-Chelsea coach Graham Potter - who was handed a contract extension by Sweden even before winning his first game - is now tasked with prolonging a pleasing World Cup record for Blagult, who have progressed out of the group stage in each of their last four tournament appearances since 1990.

The world's 38th-ranked nation have also lost just two of their previous 12 opening World Cup games, but a 3-1 loss to Norway and 2-2 draw with Greece in pre-competition friendlies once again highlighted Sweden's defensive deficiencies.

Blagult have now conceded in 11 consecutive fixtures since a 2-0 success over Hungary in June 2025, albeit while also finding the back of the net themselves in each of their last six encounters.

While Sweden could not buy a group-stage win during their World Cup qualification process, Tunisia picked up three points left, right and centre, ending their preliminary CAF campaign with a near-perfect record.

Drawn to face Namibia, Liberia, Malawi, Equatorial Guinea and Sao Tome & Principe, Tunisia made extremely light work of their lesser-revered foes, earning nine victories from a possible 10 to finish 13 points clear at the summit.

The Eagles of Carthage did not ship a single goal in Qualifying either, but their tournament proper record makes for less palatable reading; six group-stage exits from six appearances and just three wins from a potential 18.

Head coach Sabri Lamouchi has also presided over a dissatisfactory run since a barnstorming qualification period, as Tunisia lost to Mali in the last 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations, were bested 1-0 by Austria on June 1 and most recently battered 5-0 by Belgium on June 6.

Furthermore, the world's 45th-ranked nation have failed to score in three straight games and have netted just once in four, although their only meeting with Sweden this side of the millennium - in 2003 - ended 1-0 in their favour.

Sweden form (all competitions):

Tunisia form (all competitions):

Team News

Sweden come into the opening round with no injury concerns after Emil Holm's withdrawal, but Leeds United left-back Gabriel Gudmundsson has been battling a virus and is touch-and-go for Tunisia.

Either Daniel Svensson or Elliot Stroud will fill in out wide if Gudmundsson is unavailable, but Victor Lindelof, Anthony Elanga, Benjamin Nygren and Alexander Bernhardsson have all made full recoveries from minor afflictions.

The former is expected to occupy a spot in Potter's central defensive trio in a 3-4-1-2 shape, spearheaded by Gyokeres and Alexander Isak, boasting 37 senior international goals between them.

Meanwhile, Tunisia are expected to have a fully-fit squad at their disposal for Monday's match, although Lamouchi is expected to make alterations to the team that was swept aside by Belgium last time out.

Ex-Manchester United youngster and current Burnley playmaker Hannibal Mejbri is among those who should be restored to the XI, and Union Berlin midfielder Rani Khedira - brother of 2014 World Cup winner Sami Khedira - is in the same boat.

Omar Rekik - formerly of Arsenal - helms a defence protecting number one Mouhib Chamakh; no relation to the erstwhile Gunners striker.

Sweden possible starting lineup:

Nordfeldt; Hien, Lindelof, Lagerbielke; Bernhardsson, Karlstrom, Ayari, Gudmundsson; Nygren; Gyokeres, Isak

Tunisia possible starting lineup:

Chamakh; Valery, Rekik, Talbi, Ali Abdi; Skhiri, Khedira; Achouri, Hannibal, Gharbi; Chaouat

We say: Sweden 2-1 Tunisia

The marginal rankings difference between Sweden and Tunisia makes this an intriguing fixture for those perusing the best World Cup betting sites, as does Blagult's tendency to both find the net and pick the ball out of their own.

However, the raw firepower on the Scandinavians' end should make the difference, as they already out-perform their record from their World Cup Qualifying group.