Sweden's senior men's national team endured its worst-ever qualifying performance in the autumn's World Cup qualifying, finishing last in a relatively weak group with only one point from four matches. The team lost two matches against Kosovo, including a 1-0 defeat in Gothenburg, and also drew in Slovenia and lost at home to Switzerland. This dismal run prompted the Swedish Football Association to fire Jon Dahl Tomasson, marking the first time a national team coach has been officially dismissed during an ongoing World Cup qualifying. The team now sits bottom of UEFA Group B, which consisted of Kosovo, Slovenia, Sweden, and Switzerland, with the group winners, Switzerland, qualifying directly for the World Cup finals and the runners-up, Kosovo, advancing to the play-offs.
Jon Dahl Tomasson's tenure was marred by tactical failures and player management issues that contributed to the team's struggles. Sweden looked particularly weak down the flanks and when defending counter-attacks, with Tomasson determined to field star strikers Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres up front together in a system that did not suit wingers like Anthony Elanga or Roony Bardghji. Elanga was fielded as a backup to Isak and occasionally at wing-back, while Borussia Dortmund's Daniel Svensson was redeployed as a central midfielder against Kosovo without prior training on the change. Tomasson only told his players the starting XI two hours before kick-off against Kosovo, adding to the disarray.
Graham Potter was brought in as a temporary replacement for Tomasson and has since extended his contract until summer 2030, signaling a longer-term commitment to reviving Sweden's fortunes. Potter will soon select a squad for the World Cup playoff, having already overseen a gathering that resulted in one loss and one draw in his initial matches.
Despite finishing last in their qualification group, Sweden advanced to the play-offs via their Nations League ranking, offering a new chance despite poor qualifying play. The team has a playoff match against Ukraine for World Cup qualification, with national team director Stefan Pettersson set to leave his role if Sweden does not qualify. If successful, Sweden's possible World Cup group stage matches are against Tunisia, Netherlands, and Japan. The 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification UEFA Group B saw teams play against each other home-and-away in a round-robin format from September to November 2025, with 27 goals scored in 12 matches for an average of 2.25 goals per match.
Sweden's U21 team has been eliminated from Euro 2024 qualification after a crushing 0-4 defeat to Italy in Borås, marking the fifth consecutive time the side has missed the European Championship finals. With two matches left in the qualification, either Poland or Italy will take the direct spot and the other will go to the playoff, leaving Sweden eleven points behind second-placed Italy. A dismal October gathering put Sweden's U21 national team in a precarious situation, with even winning all remaining matches unlikely to secure qualification for the European Championship next summer. With four qualifying rounds left, Sweden is fourth in the table and must win all remaining matches to have any chance, requiring Poland and Italy to drop significant points.
In a recent Euro 2027 qualifier, Sweden's Under-21 team drew 2-2 with Montenegro in Borås, part of two qualifying matches in the city that also included a game against Italy. Montenegro scored first in the 20th minute after a mistake by Bleon Kurtulus, with Marcus Rafferty equalizing for Sweden after about 30 minutes. Montenegro retook the lead a minute after Sweden's equalizer, but Peter Amoran scored a late equalizer with four minutes left.
Gabriel Gudmundsson, who played in all World Cup qualifying matches and was part of the Swedish national team during its failure, has had mixed performances recently. He was man of the match after a goal and assist in Leeds United's win against Norwich in the FA Cup last weekend, but was sent off after two yellow cards against Crystal Palace on Sunday. Gudmundsson is considered one of Leeds' best signings ahead of their return to the top league.
Sweden's senior team features two strikers recently signed by the current Premier League top two: Liverpool's Alexander Isak and Arsenal's Viktor Gyokeres. Jon Dahl Tomasson was determined to field Isak and Gyokeres up front together, but this approach contributed to tactical imbalances, particularly in a 3-5-2 formation that did not suit wingers.
Media and public reaction to Sweden's national team struggles has been intense, with both of Sweden's major newspapers, Aftonbladet and Expressen, running polls on the situation.
England's youth teams provide comparative context, with the Under-19 team defeating Portugal 6-0 in the elite round of Under-19 Euro qualification but not qualifying for the Under-19 Euros this summer despite winning five of six games and keeping five clean sheets. England's Under-19 team has reached the finals only once in four years since winning the Under-19 Euros in 2022, and did not make it to the Elite Round in 2024, finishing behind Austria and Montenegro in their group. England's Under-17s also missed out on qualifying for the Under-17 Euros.
Other European qualification results offer additional context, with Slovenia securing its first win in this Euro 2027 qualification and Norway having won its first four matches in the group before a recent loss.
Key unknowns persist about Graham Potter's tactical changes and team morale, as the new coach has had limited time to implement his vision ahead of the critical World Cup playoff.
Uncertainties also surround Sweden's U21 qualification chances for Euro 2027 and the exact reasons behind the Swedish Football Association's decision to fire Jon Dahl Tomasson, beyond the poor results.
Unknown factors regarding player availability and impact on the upcoming playoff add further complexity.