Sweden vs Poland in 2026 World Cup Playoff Final

Sweden faces Poland in a high-stakes playoff final on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at Strawberry Arena in Solna, with the winner securing a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals in North America. The match, kicking off at 7:45 p.m. BST (2:45 p.m. ET), pits two evenly matched European sides against each other for the second time in four years, as only one can advance to Group F alongside the Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia.

Both teams earned their place in this decisive encounter through gritty semifinal victories. Sweden defeated Ukraine 3-1 on neutral ground in Spain, with forward Viktor Gyokeres scoring a hat trick that propelled the hosts forward. The performance marked a turnaround for a side that struggled in the initial qualifying phase, finishing winless in Group B with just two points from six matches. Under head coach Graham Potter, who took over in October, Sweden qualified for the playoffs via the UEFA Nations League pathway after topping their third-tier group last season. Potter's squad now seeks revenge for their 2-0 loss to Poland in the 2022 World Cup playoff final, which denied them a berth in Qatar.

Poland, meanwhile, staged a dramatic comeback to beat Albania 2-1...