France v Sweden: World Cup 2026 last 32 – live

Key events

1h ago

Starting lineups

2h ago

Preamble

Julian Menz lands in the inbox once more: “Some early signs of cautious optimism/the Hembränt (moonshine) kicking in here. It’s probably going to get a bit interesting if Sweden score, but it’s not my stuga.

“That Swedish team is good enough to bother most teams at the WC, but France is one step too far. Swedes seem to have a keen sense of irony though, and realise that they have more wins in the WC than they collected during qualifying.

“For anyone who doesn’t understand the Swedish national anthem btw, it’s typically optimistic, and ends with ‘I want to die in the North’.”

Peter Oh emails: “The Sweden women’s team achieved a third-place finish at their last World Cup, in 2023. Could you ask Julian if he and his bit-chomping Swedish comrades reckon that the achievement will be matched by the Menz, I mean, men’s team?”

I am suspicious Mbappe will be top of this list come full-time.

Colin Livingstone gets in touch to say: :As an Evertonian, I wince every time I hear name of Digne or see his photo, due to the pain of losing such a talented player thanks to the ineptitude of a complete clown of a manager.

“The whole managerial merry-go-round of failure is so baffling.”

Glory days.

Kylian Mbappe is primed.

Julian Menz emails: “I’m sat here in the middle of Sweden with a bunch of heavily fortified Swedes. The mood is what it must have felt like when the aristocrats were queuing up for the Guillotine.

”Hope springs eternal though!”

Matan emails: “Do you give Sweden a prayer today? France could be got at defensively, but I fear Potter’s side will be crushed by the attacking force of Les Bleus.”

I suspect they will get beaten well but they do have an exciting front three. I fear, however, France will give them the runaround at the other end.

I once shook Lucas Digne’s hand at a Michael Jackson tribute night. That’s my only link to tonight’s match.

Wrap your eyeballs around Football Daily.

Starting lineups

France (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne; Tchouameni, Rabiot; Dembele, Olise, Barcola; Mbappe

Subs: Samba, Risser, Gusto, Konate, T Hernandez, L Hernandez, Lacroix, Kone, Kante, Zaire-Emery, Cherki, Akliouche, Thuram, Doue, Mateta

Sweden (3-4-3): Zetterstrom; Lagerbielke, Lindelof, Gudmundsson; Svensson, Stroud, Bergvall, Ayari; Isak, Gyokeres, Elanga,

Subs: V Johansson, Nordfeldt, H Johansson, Ekdal, Starfelt, Smith, Bernardsson, Nygren, Sema, Karlstrom, Svanberg, Zeneli, Nilsson, Ali

I wonder if Elanga will get a start tonight as Potter may consider the extra pace and trying to give the French full-backs somthing to think about.

Sweden coach Graham Potter has said his team would have to produce something special to beat France.

“They have quality all over... They have won the World Cup before and they have a fantastic manager,” Potter said. “An exciting challenge awaits us, and we will have to play the game of our lives, clearly.”

Elsewhere … Jonathan Wilson was in Dallas to see Norway defeat Cote d’Ivoire and set up a clash with Brazil.

Alexander Isak is in attendance.

Mbappe has been impressive thus far but he still has a couple more gears. Will he show them in this match?

This is ruddy impressive from our creative genius Jonny Weeks.

Pre-match reading.

Preamble

Hello one and all!

After a couple of relative shocks on Monday, Sweden could be eyeing another here tonight. There is plenty of quality in Graham Potter’s squad, with the strike pairing of Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres the envy of many countries. If they can align up top, they will cause a lot of problems.

Unfortunately for Potter et al, France possess Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise, forcing a few sleepless nights in the Swedish hotel. Didier Deschamps’s side are the favourites for the tournament in my opinion and they will not be taking their foot off the gas, I am sure.

Let’s hope for a cracker!