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MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Tuesday 30 June 2026, 22:00 BST
France head into the Round of 32 at the 2026 World Cup in formidable shape, having won all three group matches and scored 10 goals, with Kylian Mbappe netting four and Ousmane Dembele claiming a spectacular hat-trick against Norway.
Sweden, managed by Graham Potter and through as one of the best third-placed teams from Group F following a 5-1 victory over Tunisia, a 5-1 defeat to the Netherlands and a 1-1 draw with Japan, will look to cause an upset at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, relying on the attacking firepower of Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyokeres and Anthony Elanga.
For those exploring new betting sites ahead of the knockout rounds, the market has France as overwhelming favourites based on the gulf in quality shown during the group stage.
Preview: France vs Sweden
France were dominant in Group I, finishing with nine points and an impressive record of 10 goals scored and just two conceded across three matches.
Mbappe opened his account with a brace in the 3-1 victory over Senegal in New York, becoming France’s all-time leading scorer with 58 goals and surpassing Olivier Giroud in the process.
The captain added two more in the 3-0 win against Iraq in Philadelphia, reaching 100 caps for France and equalling Miroslav Klose’s record of 16 World Cup goals in the process.
The group stage concluded with the most convincing display of the three, a 4-1 victory over Norway in Boston in which Dembele scored a hat-trick inside the opening 32 minutes before Desire Doue added a fourth in stoppage time.
It was the first time since 1998 that France had won all three group-stage matches at a World Cup, a fact that underlines the depth and quality of the squad Didier Deschamps has assembled. bet365 price France at 1.30 to progress, reflecting just how dominant they have been so far in the tournament. For a full breakdown of their football markets, see the bet365 review.
Sweden’s journey through Group F was far more turbulent.
After a thundering opening-day 5-1 victory over Tunisia in Monterrey, powered by Yasin Ayari’s brace and further goals from Isak, Elanga and Mattias Svanberg, Sweden were brought crashing back down to earth by the Netherlands, who inflicted an identical 5-1 defeat in Houston.
A 1-1 draw with Japan on the final matchday was enough for Sweden to qualify as one of the best third-placed teams with four points, but the match came at a significant cost to the squad.
Centre-back Isak Hien sustained a left hamstring injury and has been ruled out for the remainder of the tournament, depriving Potter of a key defensive asset heading into the knockout rounds.
The numbers across the last five matches for each side tell a clear story: France have scored 14 and conceded just five, whereas Sweden have scored 10 and conceded 12, failing to keep a single clean sheet in the process.
France vs Sweden team news and predicted XIs
France
Marcus Thuram is the only notable absentee for Deschamps, with the Inter Milan forward rated as a doubt due to a calf problem and expected to be limited to a place on the bench at best.
In attack, Deschamps has an embarrassment of riches at his disposal, with Dembele, Michael Olise, Doue and Bradley Barcola all vying for places alongside Mbappe after each contributed meaningfully during the group stage.
The midfield pivot of Aurelien Tchouameni and Manu Kone provides the necessary balance between possession retention and defensive cover, a critical factor in managing the counter-attacking transitions Sweden will attempt to exploit.
William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano are expected to form the centre-back pairing, with Theo Hernandez and Jules Kounde at full-back and Mike Maignan in goal.
Sweden
Sweden will be without Isak Hien for the remainder of the tournament after the Atalanta centre-back suffered a left hamstring injury during the draw with Japan.
Captain Victor Lindelof is available and will lead the back three alongside Gustaf Lagerbielke and Gabriel Gudmundsson.
In goal, Potter is expected to hand a start to Kristoffer Nordfeldt, the most experienced goalkeeper in the squad with 21 caps, in place of Jacob Widell Zetterstrom, who started all three group matches.
The front three of Isak, Gyokeres and Elanga remains Sweden’s most potent weapon, with Elanga having scored twice in the group stage and Isak registering three assists, a tally tied at the top of the tournament charts with Olise.
Predicted XIs: France vs Sweden
France predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, T Hernandez; Tchouameni, Kone; Dembele, Olise, Doue; Mbappe.
Sweden predicted XI (3-4-3): Nordfeldt; Lindelof, Lagerbielke, Gudmundsson; Bernhardsson, Karlstrom, Ayari, Stroud; Elanga, Gyokeres, Isak.
Head to head: France vs Sweden
France and Sweden have met 23 times across more than 90 years, with France holding a clear advantage of 12 victories to six, with five stalemates.
The most recent encounter came in November 2020, when France ran out 4-2 winners in the Nations League to confirm top spot in the group.
Sweden’s last victory over France dates back to June 2017, a 2-1 win in Solna during the 2018 World Cup qualifiers, a result that France overturned in the return fixture.
These historical meetings involved significantly different squads to those on show in 2026 and should be treated as context rather than reliable predictive evidence for this encounter. Those looking for the latest World Cup betting sites can find a full breakdown of the available markets ahead of kick-off.
Tips and prediction: France vs Sweden
The odds reflect a significant disparity between the two sides. New customers can take advantage of the latest bet365 bonus code to back any of the tips below.
- France have scored 10 goals in three group matches, the best attacking record among group winners
- Mbappe has four goals in the tournament and has scored in every group-stage start
- Sweden have conceded 12 goals in their last five matches and have not kept a single clean sheet
- Sweden’s defence have lost Isak Hien for the remainder of the tournament, weakening a back line that conceded 12 goals in five matches
Adam is a freelance sports journalist with a decade of experience in the industry. Football is his passion, although he also follows darts and many other sports.
Adam supports Arsenal and local club Wealdstone, made famous by the Wealdstone Raider, who he has interviewed. Adam also follows the women's teams and the England national side.