Sweden - Tunisia / 2026 FIFA World Cup

Follow the LIVE broadcast of the Sweden vs. Tunisia match in Group F of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on ŠPORT.sk! The match, which you can also watch live on JOJ play, kicks off at 4:00 AM.

While one team scraped into the 2026 World Cup finals at the eleventh hour, the other secured qualification from the African zone with dominant grace. This Group F encounter pits Sweden against Tunisia – two national teams whose form and camp morale are diverging sharply ahead of the opening whistle.

A thirteenth appearance at the "Mundial" long hung in the balance for Sweden. The traditional participant, who has advanced from the group stage in all four of their World Cup appearances since 1990 and claimed silver in 1958, endured a catastrophic qualification campaign. They finished a humiliating last in their group with a paltry two points and without a single victory. However, a lifeline in the form of a Nations League playoff brought a crucial impetus – the appointment of renowned manager Graham Potter.

The former Chelsea and Brighton manager immediately overhauled the team's playing identity. He moved away from rigid, physical football and instilled tactical flexibility, alternating between 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3, and a three-centre-back system. Under his leadership, Sweden eliminated Ukraine and Poland in the playoffs. Potter also rejuvenated the squad and wasn't afraid to make uncompromising cuts, omitting Dejan Kulusevski due to poor fitness and leaving Emil Holm out of the squad.

Their attacking duo commands immense respect, a luxury few teams possess. Viktor Gyökeres became the playoff hero with four goals, while Alexander Isak provides the necessary creativity in attack. Yasin Ayari from Brighton is expected to be the future leader of the midfield. However, questions linger over the defense. A friendly loss to Norway (1-3) and a draw with Greece (2-2) extended their streak of conceding goals to eleven matches.

Tunisia stormed through the African qualifiers like a hurricane. They secured 28 out of a possible 30 points with a 22:0 goal difference, which, while indicative of a less challenging group, makes their clean sheet record impressive. The "Carthage Eagles" are a consistent presence at the Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup, but all six of their previous appearances at the global showpiece ended in the group stage.

Following their recent disappointment at the AFCON continental championship, a revolution occurred within the team. Coach Sami Trabelsi was replaced by Sabri Lamouchi, who sidelined several veterans, is instilling a more dynamic playing style, and opening doors for youngsters like Khalil Ayari from PSG's youth academy.

Despite his young age, Hannibal Mejbri is the absolute general and engine of the Tunisian team. The Burnley midfielder is responsible for both defensive duties and ball distribution. However, Tunisia's momentum seems to be waning heading into the championship. In friendlies, they lost to Austria (0-1) and suffered a 0-5 thrashing from Belgium. A dismal run of three matches without scoring clearly indicates that the transition to Lamouchi's more offensive system is still experiencing significant teething problems.

Both teams will approach the tactical battle from different positions. Tunisia is likely to retreat into a deep, compact block and look for quick counter-attacks. The creative and combinatorial burden will thus fall on the Scandinavians. They will aim to assert themselves not only with their physical attributes but, more importantly, with the immense individual quality of their attacking duo, Gyökeres and Isak. Although the Tunisians are known for their tenacity, Graham Potter's more progressive playing style and Sweden's offensive power in key areas position them as slight favorites.