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France take on Sweden in the last 32 at the World Cup today.
Les Bleus will have head coach Didier Deschamps back in the dugout after he missed the 4-1 win over Norway, having returned home for his mother’s funeral.
France’s easy triumph over a much-changed Norway side completed a clean sweep of Group I after a 3-1 victory against Senegal and 3-0 win over Iraq.
Kylian Mbappe and Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele have each hit four goals, with the latter scoring a 32-minute hat-trick against Norway.
Sweden qualified as the second-best third-placed team after gaining four points in Group F. Their 5-1 win over Tunisia and 1-1 draw with Japan sandwiched a heavy 5-1 loss to the Netherlands.
Ex-Chelsea, West Ham and Brighton boss Graham Potter has been manager of Sweden since October 2025 after replacing Jon Dahl Tomasson.
They reached the tournament via the play-offs thanks to their Nations League campaign. Now, Sweden will be looking to spring a major upset and win a World Cup knockout game for the first time since 2018.
Paraguay await in the last 16 after stunning Germany on penalties in Boston on Monday.
France vs Sweden is scheduled for a 10pm BST kick-off today on Tuesday June 30, 2026.
The match will take place at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live and free-to-air on ITV1, with coverage starting at 9.30pm BST.
Live stream: UK viewers can also catch the contest live online via the ITVX app or ITV website.
Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport’s live blog.
Free highlights: World Cup highlights are available on FIFA’s official YouTube channel, along with the ITVX app and BBC iPlayer.
Deschamps will bring back players rested against Norway, including the likes of Arsenal defender William Saliba.
His star-studded attack is mostly very settled, with Michael Olise, Dembele and Mbappe all guaranteed to start when they are available.
France’s left side is less certain. Paris Saint-Germain pair Desire Doue and Bradley Barcola have been rotated, with Barcola starting the Iraq game, but Doue preferred against both Senegal and Norway.
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Theo Hernandez also came in for Lucas Digne at left-back and may keep his place. Marcus Thuram has a slight calf issue, so is touch-and-go to feature in this one.
France squad: Mike Maignan, Robin Risser, Brice Samba, Lucas Digne, Malo Gusto, Lucas Hernandez, Theo Hernandez, Ibrahima Konate, Maxence Lacroix, Jules Kounde, William Saliba, Dayot Upamenaco, N’Golo Kante, Manu Kone, Adrien Rabiot, Aurelien Tchouameni, Warren Zaire-Emery, Maghnes Akliouche, Bradley Barcola, Rayan Cherki, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Michael Olise, Kylian Mbappe, Jean-Phillipe Mateta, Marcus Thuram
Sweden suffered a significant blow against Japan after Atalanta defender Isak Hien was injured and ruled out of the rest of the World Cup.
The centre-back had started all three of Sweden’s group games, so captain Victor Lindelof will have to drop back into defence after featuring in midfield against Japan.
Potter dropped first-choice goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt for that game, bringing in four-cap deputy Jacob Widell Zetterstrom.
He must also decide whether to keep Anthony Elanga in the starting XI. The Newcastle winger scored from the bench against the Netherlands, then started and scored against Japan.
He should join Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak, who must be clinical against France if they are to have any chance of progressing.
Sweden squad: Viktor Johansson, Kristoffer Nordfelt, Jacob Widdell Zetterstrom, Hjalmar Ekdal, Gabriel Gudmundsson, Emil Holm, Gustaf Lagerbielke, Victor Nilsson Lindelof, Eric Smith, Carl Starfelt, Elliot Stroud, Daniel Svensson, Taha Ali, Yasin Ayari, Lucas Bergvall, Jesper Karlstrom, Ken Sema, Mattias Svanberg, Besfort Zeneli, Alexander Bernhardsson, Anthony Elanga, Viktor Gyokeres, Alexander Isak, Gustaf Nilsson, Benjamin Nygren
France are justifiably one of the favourites for this World Cup. Their attackers are on fire, the defence is solid even with rotation, and Deschamps has taken Les Bleus to two World Cup finals as a manager (winning in 2018) and captained them for their 1998 win.
His experience, nous and array of talents littered throughout the squad should virtually guarantee victory against a side who have blown very hot and cold so far.
France to win, 4-1.
This is the first-ever meeting between France and Sweden at the World Cup finals, after facing each other in qualification campaigns in 1969, 1993 and 2016.
France wins: 12
Sweden wins: 6
Draws: 5
Odds via betting sites UK (subject to change).
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