Sweden Vs Poland [3-2] – 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualification Playoff Final – Tactical Analysis

Sweden faced Poland in the finals of UEFAs FIFA World Cup qualification playoffs, and the match ended in a decisive 3-2 win for the hosts after an entertaining battle.

Sweden earned a long-awaited return to the World Cup following their absence in the most recent edition; back in 2018, they reached the quarter-finals.

Poland have failed to qualify for this edition of the World Cup after being present in the last two and despite having reached the Round of 16 in 2022.

In this tactical analysis, we explore how both teams managed to exploit each other’s defensive weaknesses.

Sweden Vs Poland Lineups & Formations

Graham Potter started the match in a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Kristoffer Nordfeldt as goalkeeper and a defensive trio of Gustaf Lagerbielke, Carl Starfelt, and Victor Lindelöf.

The midfield was made up of Yasin Ayari and Jesper Karlström as central midfielders with Daniel Svensson and Gabriel Gudmundsson on the wings.

In attack, the team relied on Anthony Elanga and Benjamin Nygren on the wings, and Viktor Gyökeres as the main striker.

On the other side, Jan Urban used a 3-4-3 formation with Kamil Grabara as the goalkeeper and a defensive line of Przemysław Wiśniewski, Jan Bednarek, and Jakub Kiwior as centre-backs.

The midfield was composed of Sebastian Szymański and Piotr Zieliński as central midfielders, while Matty Cash and Nicola Zalewski were the wing-backs.

Upfront, Karol Świderski played on the left wing, while Jakub Kamiński was the right-winger, supporting the main striker, Robert Lewandowski.