Sweden vs Poland – News and Probable Lineups

In a repeat of their playoff battle four years ago, Suécia and Polônia are set to contend for a single spot at the World Cup on Tuesday in yet another decisive fixture.

The Eagles secured victory on Polish terrain to qualify for Catar 2022, but this time around, the Swedes will enjoy the support of home fans in Solna.

Match overview

Despite a disappointing qualification attempt, Suécia now finds themselves only one match away from securing a place in the 2026 World Cup, where they would contest in Group F along with Países Baixos, Japão, and Tunísia.

Fueled by standout player Viktor Gyokeres, who netted a hat-trick in his team’s 3-1 win, the Blagult triumphed over Ucrânia in Thursday’s playoff semi-final, which was held on neutral territory in Espanha.

Head coach Graham Potter, who took over a struggling squad in October, was understandably complimentary about the Arsenal forward, whose goals have brought Suécia to the brink of a 13th appearance at the global finals.

Their qualifying campaign saw them unable to secure any wins in Group B, scoring a mere four goals while allowing 12 at the other end.

Nevertheless, they managed to navigate their way into the playoffs through a secondary path in the UEFA Nations League, having topped their group in the third tier of Europe.

Not only is a spot in North America up for grabs on Tuesday, but the Swedes are also looking for a sweet taste of revenge.

The Nordic team suffered a painful defeat to Polônia in their 2022 World Cup playoff final, as Robert Lewandowski and Piotr Zielinski dashed Swedish hopes in Chorzow.

Interestingly, both players were again on the scoresheet as Polônia emerged victorious in this year’s semi-final against Albânia.

The Eagles made a comeback to secure a crucial 2-1 win on Thursday night, netting twice in the last thirty minutes in front of their home crowd.

In some ways, they were unlucky not to achieve automatic qualification, having recorded five victories and two draws against Países Baixos, who went on to top Group G by a three-point margin.

Following a tumultuous period under former boss Michal Probierz—who mistakenly clashed with national legend Lewandowski—the Poles have shown a compelling resurgence.

Current coach Jan Urban has maintained an unbeaten streak in his seven matches at the helm, and his squad appears unified in their drive to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup.

However, history is not in their favor. Polônia last triumphed in Suécia 76 years ago, and they have suffered defeats in their last three trips to Solna: 2-0 in 1999, 3-0 in 2003, and 3-1 in 2004.

Team News

Suécia will be without Alexander Isak, Emil Krafth, and Dejan Kulusexi due to injuries, and now, imposing center-back Isak Hien has also joined them on the sidelines.

Both Hien and left-back Gabriel Gudmundsson had to leave the field during the match against Ucrânia; Borussia Dortmund’s Daniel Svensson is on standby to fill the latter’s shoes if necessary.

With Isak still absent, there is little doubt about who will spearhead the attacking front for the hosts, although Gyokeres had not found the net during World Cup 2026 qualifying until his pivotal hat-trick on Thursday.

As always, Polônia captain Lewandowski, also their all-time leading goalscorer and record holder for caps, poses the greatest threat to the opposition.

Inter de Milão midfielder Zielinski, who also scored in the 2022 playoff victory over Suécia, remains a key influence in the middle of the park, but Urban is gradually introducing younger talents.

Teenagers Filip Rozga and Oskar Pietuszewski both contributed to the comeback win against Albânia—the latter is only 17 years old but has been receiving rave reviews for his performances with Porto.

However, Rozga’s position might be at risk as versatile winger Nicola Zalewski returns after completing a suspension following the semi-final.

Suécia probable starting XI:

Nordfeldt; Lagerbielke, Starfelt, Lindelof; Johansson, Karlstrom, Ayari, Svensson; Elanga, Nygren; Gyokeres

Poland probable starting XI:

Grabara; Kedziora, Bednarek, Kiwior; Cash, Slisz, Zielinski, Skoras; Szymanski, Zalewski; Lewandowski

Considering their wealth of experience and better current form, Polônia could disrupt the home side’s hopes in Suécia and secure their passage to another World Cup finals.

The Swedes have battled to reach this stage, while their opponents are proving hard to defeat and appear to be re-energized under new management.