Sweden Face Poland in High-Stakes World Cup Playoff Showdown: Key Predictions, Tactics, and Starting Lineups Revealed

Despite a dismal qualifying campaign, Sweden is just one match away from securing a spot at the 2026 World Cup, with Poland standing between them and that goal on Tuesday evening.

Having stepped away from the Premier League spotlight following an underwhelming tenure at West Ham United, Graham Potter was brought in to fix the damage left behind by Jon Dahl Tomasson. He couldn't spark a dramatic turnaround during Sweden's qualifying run, but the team has been given a lifeline thanks to their showing in the recent UEFA Nations League.

Potter's squad were considered favorites by oddsmakers to advance from Pathway B, and that confidence proved well-placed when Ukraine were dispatched courtesy of a Viktor Gyökeres hat-trick on Thursday evening.

Sweden's 3–1 victory has set the stage for a winner-takes-all showdown with Poland, who are looking to reach their third straight World Cup. The Poles edged past Albania 2–1 in their semifinal, having finished as runners-up in qualifying behind the Netherlands.

Jan Urban's team were far from embarrassing themselves, holding the Dutch to two draws, but a 2–1 loss to Finland significantly hurt their chances of finishing top of the group.

Sweden vs. Poland Score Prediction

Sweden will surely be motivated by revenge when Poland arrives at the Strawberry Arena, given that the Poles denied them a place at the 2022 World Cup. Notably, the two scorers from Poland's semifinal victory over Albania — Robert Lewandowski and Piotr Zieliński — were the same players who eliminated Sweden in the playoffs four years ago.

As poor as Sweden were during qualifying, the old saying goes that "you're only as good as your last game," and the manner of their Thursday triumph has lifted the spirits of Swedish fans hoping to see their nation at the World Cup for the first time since 2018.

Only eight places separate these two sides in FIFA's world rankings, making this, on paper, the most closely contested of the four UEFA playoff finals.

Prediction: Sweden 1–1 Poland (Sweden to win on penalties)

Sweden Predicted Lineup vs. Poland

Sweden is navigating the playoff run without arguably their two most influential players. Alexander Isak remains sidelined with a broken leg, while Dejan Kulusevski has been absent since last May due to a knee problem.

The Tottenham Hotspur playmaker has pledged to be at the World Cup if Sweden manage to qualify.

Isak Hien is also unavailable with a thigh issue, while Eric Smith has encountered a fitness concern that puts his availability for Tuesday's match in question. He was an unused substitute during Thursday's game.

Lucas Bergvall recently recovered from an ankle problem to earn a place in Potter's squad, though the Tottenham midfielder only came on as a substitute against Ukraine. The positive result on Thursday means Potter is unlikely to make many changes to his starting eleven for the final.

Sweden predicted lineup vs. Poland (4-4-2): Nordfeldt, Lagerbielke, Starfelt, Lindelöf, Gudmundsson; Johansson, Ayari, Karlström, Nygren; Elanga, Gyökeres.

Poland Predicted Lineup vs. Sweden

Jan Urban went with a notably attacking starting lineup against Albania, and it remains to be seen whether the Poland boss will be equally bold in Solna.

If he chooses to be, we may see two natural No. 10s — Sebastian Szymanski and Piotr Zieliński — deployed in the midfield double pivot against Sweden, with wingbacks Nicola Zalewski and Matty Cash providing width. Cash's contribution is particularly vital to Poland's structural balance, especially considering Zalewski's tendency to influence matches in the attacking third.

Robert Lewandowski will lead the attack once again, with ambitions of featuring at the World Cup for what could be his third and final time this summer.

Poland predicted lineup vs. Sweden (3-4-2-1): Grabara; Kędziora, Bednarek, Kiwior; Cash, Zieliński, Szymański, Zalewski; Kamiński, Pietuszewski; Lewandowski.

What Time Does Sweden vs. Poland Kick Off?

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