ELIMINATEDR32ROUND OF 32F3Group F, finished 3rdGROUP F · 3RDBEST 3RD · #2
IN OUR BEST THIRDS RANKING
#27OUR RANK
4PTS
-3GD
7GF
Sweden is out of the 2026 World Cup, eliminated after the Round of 32 (1/16 finals).
Sweden's 2026 World Cup started brightly with a 5-1 win over Tunisia, 7 places lower in the world ranking, before a heavy 1-5 loss to the Netherlands, 30 places higher in the world ranking, halted the momentum on matchday 2. A 1-1 draw with Japan, 20 places higher in the world ranking, followed on matchday 3. Four points and a level goal difference carried them through as one of the eight best third-placed teams into the knockout rounds.
Sweden's tournament ended in the Round of 32, outclassed 3-0 by a France side ranked 35 places above them. Reaching the knockout stage as a best third-placed team was still a solid campaign.
This tracker exists for exactly this race. Third in their group, Sweden finished as the 2nd-best third-placed team of twelve, outside the top eight that advance.
How hard was Sweden’s road at this World Cup?
Every team’s road through the tournament, on one chart. Each line shows
how hard each stage is. The base is the gap in FIFA world ranking between
the two sides; on top of that, current form (each team’s last three matches, and how
convincingly they were won against how strong an opponent) nudges the step: a hot opponent makes it
taller, a team’s own hot form makes its own steps shorter. Higher means a tougher road. In the group stage the opponents are known, so each match sits at a
fixed height; each knockout round shows the average difficulty across every opponent still left in that round. Sweden’s road is highlighted, along with every team it played. Hover or tap any team to compare, or pick one from the legend.