Sweden's World Cup qualification campaign stands on the precipice of disaster after a catastrophic 2-1 defeat against Kosovo that leaves Janne Andersson's side staring at elimination.
Qualification Hopes Dangling by a Thread
The Scandinavian giants now face near-impossible odds to secure a spot at the 2026 tournament after Vedat Muriqi's dramatic 88th-minute winner for Kosovo sealed Sweden's fate in Pristina. This shocking result leaves Sweden languishing in fourth place in Group 6, with their World Cup dreams all but extinguished.
Nightmare in Pristina
Despite taking an early lead through Emil Holm's 13th-minute strike, Sweden surrendered their advantage before halftime when Milot Rashica equalised for the hosts. The match appeared destined for a draw until Muriqi's late intervention plunged the Swedish camp into despair.
The devastating defeat means Sweden now trail second-placed Kosovo by five crucial points, with only four matches remaining in their qualification campaign. Even more damning is their six-point deficit to group leaders France, making automatic qualification virtually unattainable.
European Championship Woes Compound Misery
This World Cup qualifying disaster compounds a miserable period for Swedish football, coming just months after their failure to qualify for Euro 2024. The back-to-back tournament absences represent a significant decline for a nation that reached the World Cup quarter-finals in Russia 2018.
Manager Janne Andersson now faces intense scrutiny as Sweden must win their remaining fixtures and hope for multiple favours from other teams to have any chance of progressing.
Elsewhere in World Cup Qualifying
While Sweden's campaign unravels, other European nations enjoyed more successful evenings:
- Belgium maintained their perfect record with a 2-0 victory over Estonia, keeping them firmly on course for qualification
- Slovakia edged closer to the World Cup with a hard-fought 1-0 win against Azerbaijan
- Northern Ireland earned a valuable point in their goalless draw with Bulgaria
As other nations progress steadily toward the 2026 tournament, Sweden must confront the sobering reality that their footballing golden generation risks ending without World Cup participation.
