France - Sweden / 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16

Follow the LIVE broadcast of the France vs. Sweden Round of 16 match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on ŠPORT.sk! The match, which you can also watch live on JOJ play, kicks off at 11:00 PM.

The French national team confidently navigated the group stage of the World Cup, and after relocating to New York, they face the third-placed team from Group F – the unpredictable Sweden – in the first knockout round.

The "Gallic Roosters" were among the top contenders for the World Cup title even before the tournament, and they've clearly demonstrated their ambitions on the pitch. Eight years ago, they celebrated lifting the trophy, and in the last World Cup, their title defense was thwarted only by a cruel penalty shootout in the final against Argentina after a thrilling 3-3 draw.

Although they unexpectedly stumbled in a warm-up match against Ivory Coast (1-2) before the current World Cup, they found their winning rhythm with a 3-1 triumph over Northern Ireland. In their opening tournament match, Senegal (3-1) certainly tested them, but Kylian Mbappé ultimately secured the victory with two precise goals after halftime. The star forward added two more goals against Iraq (3-0), and Ousmane Dembélé further underscored France's offensive power by excelling with a hat-trick in the decisive group stage match.

Another advantage for the team is the minimal travel between matches, which helps conserve energy. Furthermore, coach Didier Deschamps returns to the dugout after difficult family moments, allowing him to choose from an exceptionally deep and strong squad for this crucial Round of 16 clash.

On the other side stand the Swedish "Three Crowns," who haven't enjoyed much success in the last two qualifying cycles, despite reaching the playoff final for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. This time, they secured their spot in the March playoffs only by winning the third tier of the Nations League. However, they capitalized on this opportunity perfectly – first eliminating seeded Ukraine (3-1) in Valencia, and then celebrating qualification with a 3-2 home victory over Poland.

Their pre-tournament form wasn't impressive, as they lost to Norway (1-3) and only managed a draw against Greece (2-2) in their final warm-up. However, their start to the tournament itself exceeded expectations, as they dominated Tunisia with a 5-1 thrashing. A harsh reality check came five days later when they succumbed to favored Netherlands by the same 1-5 scoreline. They went into their third match needing at least a point against Japan, which they ultimately achieved with a 1-1 draw. A concern for the coaching staff is the health of center-backs Isak Hien and Victor Lindelöf, though the latter is expected to be fully fit for the pivotal encounter.

Looking at their head-to-head record, these two national teams last met six years ago in the Nations League, where France secured full points twice (1-0 away and 4-2 at home). Before that, they clashed in the qualifiers for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, where Sweden managed to claim a valuable home scalp with a 2-1 victory. However, in the knockout stage, a clear dominance from the French offense is anticipated.