Sweden seize World Cup opportunity
Wednesday, April 1, 2026
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Sweden sealed their return to the FIFA World Cup by making the most of the route opened by their successful UEFA Nations League campaign.
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Given Sweden owed their shot at FIFA World Cup qualification to the Nations League, there was something fitting about Viktor Gyökeres having the final say.
The striker finished as the 2024/25 Nations League top scorer, and it was his decisive goal that sparked wild celebrations as the Scandinavians edged past Poland 3-2 in Solna.
In doing so, Sweden confirmed their return to this summer’s World Cup finals after missing out on qualification for the 2022 edition. The joyous scenes at the final whistle illustrated just how much it meant to the players and fans alike.
A second chance
Sweden had endured a difficult European Qualifiers campaign, failing to win any of their six matches, but their success in the Nations League had left another path open.
Twelve of the 16 World Cup play-off places went to the teams that finished second in their European Qualifiers groups. The remaining four were reserved for the best-ranked 2024/25 Nations League group winners that had not already finished first or second in qualifying. Having won Nations League Group C1, Sweden were one of the teams presented with a second chance.
From there, the objective was, if not easy, straightforward: win their play-off matches and a spot at the World Cup would be confirmed. Gyökeres was once again the man to deliver in the semi-finals, a classy hat-trick helping Sweden past Ukraine, before he settled a dramatic back-and-forth clash with Poland in the final.
Following the match, he credited the resilience that has defined his side’s qualification campaign: "We believed in it until the end and that's why we're in the World Cup. To do it on home soil is indescribable."
Opportunities for all
The Nations League continues to guarantee competitive matches for every European national team, having replaced friendlies with meaningful encounters against similarly ranked opposition.
The link between Nations League performances and qualification for both the World Cup and UEFA EURO also offers new, potentially historic opportunities for teams to compete on the biggest stages.
Sweden are the first team to reach the World Cup via the Nations League pathway, but it has already provided unforgettable EURO experiences. North Macedonia made their first major tournament appearance in reaching EURO 2020 via the Nations League pathway, while Georgia’s impressive run to the round of 16 at EURO 2024 – likewise their first major tournament – was made possible by the route offered by the Nations League.