Graham Potter’s debut as Sweden’s head coach ended in a 4-1 loss to Switzerland. This result has nearly secured Switzerland’s spot in the 2026 World Cup.
Potter, who took over last month, faced a challenging task with Sweden sitting at the bottom of Group B. Despite their poor standing, Sweden is assured a play-off spot due to their Nations League performance.
Potter opted for a weakened lineup against Switzerland, with Alexander Isak entering as a substitute in the 62nd minute and Viktor Gyokeres absent due to injury. Breel Embolo opened the scoring for Switzerland, but Benjamin Nygren equalised for Sweden in the 33rd minute. However, Granit Xhaka, Dan Ndoye, and Johan Manzambi scored in the second half to secure victory for Murat Yakin’s team.
Switzerland now faces Kosovo on Tuesday. They need to avoid losing by six goals or more to maintain their automatic qualification status. Meanwhile, Kosovo defeated Slovenia 2-0 in another Group B match, ending Slovenia’s hopes of qualifying for the tournament.
Austria moved closer to securing their place in the tournament with a 2-0 victory over Cyprus. They lead Group H by two points ahead of Bosnia and Herzegovina. A draw at home against Bosnia on Tuesday would confirm Austria’s qualification for North America. Romania sits third and will proceed to the play-offs thanks to their Nations League results, despite losing 3-1 in Zenica.
In Group E, Turkiye achieved a 2-0 win against Bulgaria. Hakan Calhanoglu scored from the penalty spot before Atanas Chernev scored an own goal. Turkiye trails Spain by three points and would need a seven-goal win in Seville on Tuesday to surpass La Roja and avoid the play-offs.
The upcoming matches are crucial for teams aiming for direct qualification or play-off spots. As these teams prepare for their final group games, each point becomes vital in determining their path to the World Cup. The stakes are high as they strive to secure their places on football’s grandest stage.