What group are Sweden joining at 2026 World Cup after beating Poland?

Sweden have done it. After defeating Poland in Path B's final of the UEFA World Cup Qualifiers playoffs, the Blue and Yellows are headed to the 2026 World Cup.

Updated on March 31, 2026 05:11PM EDT

**© Timothy Rogers/Getty Images**Viktor Gyokeres of Sweden at Stozice Stadium

Sweden are back in the FIFA World Cup. After their suspenseful 3-2 win over Poland at Friends Arena, the Swedes will join Group F in the upcoming international tournament. Joining Group F at the 2026 FIFA World Cup means Sweden are set to face some strong national teams this summer. Meanwhile, the Eagles have reached the end of the road, as Poland are out of the World Cup.

Thanks to their triumph over Poland, Sweden will be grouped with the Netherlands, Japan, and Tunisia in the World Cup. Group F is set to be one of the most competitive and evenly matched in the tournament. Fans in the “Elongated Country” can hardly wait for the 2026 World Cup to begin.

The Swedes will make their debut against Tunisia—on paper, their easiest opponent in the group stage—on June 14. Almost a week later, the Blue and Yellows will go head to head with fellow UEFA rival the Netherlands on June 20. Closing out the World Cup group stage, Sweden will take on Japan on June 25.

Sweden are back in World Cup

After missing the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Sweden are back in the biggest soccer tournament. It wasn’t without a fair share of drama, though. In a back-and-forth showdown, it was Viktor Gyokeres who found the back of the net minutes away from full time to send his country to the World Cup.

Viktor Gyokeres celebrates with fans

The 2026 World Cup will be Sweden’s second appearance in the last five world championships. Sweden had last made it to the 2018 edition, held in Russia. That time, Sweden was knocked out in the quarterfinals after falling at the hands of England by a score of 2-0.

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Gyokeres: Sweden’s national hero

All eyes were on Viktor Gyokeres as Sweden hosted Poland in the Path B final of the European playoffs. Far from being fazed by the spotlight, the striker rose to the occasion when his country needed him most. After staying quiet all night at Friends Arena, Gyokeres pounced on a loose ball inside the box and made no mistake. It had to be him.

Gyokeres followed his hat trick against Ukraine in the semifinal with the golden goal in the final to send Sweden through. For the first time since 2018, the “Elongated Country” is World Cup-bound.

Federico O'donnell

Federico O’Donnell is a bilingual sports writer from Argentina, fluent in both Spanish and English. He joined Bolavip US in August 2024 and has since established himself as a skilled, versatile journalist covering a wide range of sports. Federico has written extensively about soccer and the NHL for various media outlets, including ExtraTimeTalk and Last Word on Hockey. His extensive knowledge of NHL, NCAAF, NCAAB, NFL, MLB, and soccer, combined with his passion for these sports, equips him to handle breaking news effectively and deliver insightful analysis.