Sweden World Cup 2026 Squad: Full 26-Man Roster, Isak-Gyökeres Lead Potter's Group F Charge

Graham Potter named Sweden’s 26-man World Cup squad on May 12, 2026. The Blågult return after missing Qatar 2022, carrying one of the tournament’s most dangerous strike partnerships — Alexander Isak (Liverpool) and Viktor Gyökeres (Arsenal) — but also one of its most significant absences: Dejan Kulusevski, ruled out with a long-term knee injury. Group F is a group of contrasting styles: the Netherlands’ possession system, Japan’s high-tempo pressing, Tunisia’s defensive organization, and Sweden’s direct, physically dominant approach. Second place behind the Netherlands is the target — and Sweden has the firepower to claim it.

Confirmed 26-man squad

Goalkeepers

Defenders

Midfielders

Forwards

Key inclusions

Alexander Isak — Liverpool’s No. 9. Isak’s move to Liverpool transformed him from a very good striker into one of the world’s elite. In 2025-26: 22 Premier League goals, elite chance conversion, and the all-around game (link-up play, pressing, carrying) that makes him the most complete Swedish striker since Zlatan Ibrahimović. At 26, in his prime, this World Cup is his stage. Kulusevski’s absence means more creative burden falls on Isak — not just finishing chances but helping create them.

Viktor Gyökeres — Arsenal’s powerhouse. Gyökeres’ rise from Coventry City to Arsenal is one of European football’s great stories. At Arsenal, his physicality, hold-up play, and 18 goals in 2025-26 made him the perfect complement to Bukayo Saka. For Sweden, the Isak-Gyökeres partnership is the defining tactical asset — two elite strikers who can play together (4-4-2) or rotate as the central No. 9 with the other drifting wide. No other team in Group F has a pair of strikers at this level.

Lucas Bergvall — the 20-year-old heir. Bergvall’s first full season at Tottenham confirmed the hype: a technically gifted No. 8 who can receive on the half-turn, break lines with his passing, and cover ground defensively. At 20, he is Sweden’s midfield future — and in Kulusevski’s absence, he becomes the primary creative midfielder by default. His ability to find Isak and Gyökeres between the lines will determine whether Sweden’s attack functions beyond direct play.

Anthony Elanga — Kulusevski’s replacement? Elanga’s move to Newcastle revitalized his career: 10 goals and 8 assists in 2025-26, playing with the confidence that disappeared during his final season at Manchester United. He isn’t a like-for-like Kulusevski replacement — less creative, more direct — but his pace in transition and improved end product make him a dangerous weapon, particularly against Japan’s high defensive line and Tunisia’s organized block.

Notable omissions

Dejan Kulusevski — long-term knee injury. The single most significant absence in Sweden’s squad. Kulusevski was Sweden’s primary creative force — the player who could receive between the lines, beat a defender, and play the final pass. His injury fundamentally changes Sweden’s attacking profile: more direct, more reliant on Isak’s individual brilliance, less capable of breaking down a set defense through intricate combinations.

Emil Forsberg — The 34-year-old New York Red Bulls midfielder was not selected. His international career (86 caps, 21 goals) appears over.

Roony Bardghji — The 20-year-old Barcelona winger was a surprise omission. Potter cited competition at the position and Bardghji’s limited first-team minutes since his move from FC Copenhagen.

Hugo Larsson — The Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder was cut for tactical reasons. Potter preferred Bergvall and Ayari as the younger midfield options.

Tactical outlook

Potter’s 4-4-2 is a departure from Sweden’s traditional 4-4-2 — more flexible, with Bergvall tucking inside from the right to create a midfield three in possession and Svanberg providing width and work rate from the left. The system is built around the Isak-Gyökeres partnership: two strikers who can both hold the ball up and run in behind, making Sweden dangerous in transition and from direct play.

The midfield without Kulusevski is Sweden’s vulnerability. Bergvall (20) and Ayari (22) have a combined 16 caps — talented but inexperienced at this level. Jesper Karlström (Udinese) provides defensive stability but limited progressive passing. Against the Netherlands’ Frenkie de Jong-Ryan Gravenberch midfield, Sweden will be significantly outmatched in possession.

Defensively, Lindelöf and Hien form a solid if unspectacular center-back pair — good in the air, well-organized, but vulnerable to pace in behind. Emil Holm (Juventus) is the attacking right-back, while Daniel Svensson (Borussia Dortmund) provides balance from the left.

Against Tunisia, Sweden should dominate physically and create chances from wide areas and set pieces. Against Japan, the tactical contrast is fascinating: Sweden’s direct physicality vs Japan’s technical pressing. Against the Netherlands, Potter will set up to frustrate and counter — a point would be an excellent result.

Group F outlook

Sweden’s path: beat Tunisia (required), get a result against Japan (the group-deciding match for second place), and keep the Netherlands match competitive. Target: 4 points (win vs Tunisia, draw vs Japan), advancing as group runner-up. 6 points would guarantee second place and could even challenge for the group win if the Netherlands slips.

Fan planning links

• Group F Analysis — Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia
• World Cup 2026 Squad Tracker — All 48 Teams
• Monterrey Matchday Guide — Estadio BBVA
• Santa Clara Matchday Guide — Levi’s Stadium

Sources checked

• Swedish Football Association (SvFF) — official 26-man squad announcement, May 12, 2026
• beIN Sports, ESPN, LiveSoccerTV, Fanatik — confirmed squad reporting, Potter analysis
• transfermarkt — player age, caps, club data as of May 2026