Sweden announce World Cup 2026 squad: Isak, Gyokeres and Elanga included, Kulusevski misses out

Sweden head coach Graham Potter has announced a 26-man squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The tournament will take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Sweden secured qualification for the 2026 World Cup as one of the last teams to book their place, defeating Poland in the play-offs. However, they have become the second national team to officially name their squad for the upcoming tournament. In the group stage, Sweden will play in Group F alongside the Netherlands, Japan and Tunisia.

Who Potter left out

The only debutant in the squad is 23-year-old winger Elliot Stroud from Swedish club Mjallby. For the rest of the squad, Potter has chosen to rely on more experienced and proven players.

Several notable names have been left out of the final list, including Hugo Larsson of Eintracht Frankfurt, Sebastian Nanasi of Strasbourg, Samuel Dahl of Benfica, Dejan Kulusevski of Tottenham, Roony Bardghji of Barcelona, Emil Forsberg of New York Red Bulls and Williot Swedberg of Celta.

Kulusevski’s absence is the biggest talking point. Potter admitted that leaving him out was one of the most difficult decisions, but explained that there is too little time before Sweden’s opening World Cup match, while the player is still in the process of recovery.

“We considered every option and thought carefully about the situation before making this difficult decision. I have selected a team that can be united, where players help each other reach their full potential. The World Cup is not an ordinary tournament. The right balance is important here, and every player must be ready to perform his role,” Potter explained.

Sweden’s key players

Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyokeres, Anthony Elanga and Victor Lindelof are expected to be Sweden’s main leaders at the 2026 World Cup. This group of players should define the team’s attacking strength and overall playing potential.

The average age of the squad is 27.4 years. The oldest player is reserve goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt, who is 36. Four more players are over 30: Ken Sema, Victor Lindelof, Carl Starfelt and Jesper Karlstrom.

The youngest player in the squad is 20-year-old Tottenham midfielder Lucas Bergvall. For him, taking part in the World Cup could become an important step in his career.

Among the selected players, Victor Lindelof has made the most appearances for the national team with 75 caps. The top scorer in the current squad is Viktor Gyokeres, who has scored 19 goals in 32 matches.

The total transfer value of Sweden’s squad is estimated at around €431.38 million. The most valuable player in the team is Alexander Isak, worth around €100 million. Seven more players in the squad are valued at over €20 million.

Sweden squad for the 2026 World Cup

Goalkeepers

Viktor Johansson — Stoke City, England-2
Jacob Zetterstrom — Derby County, England-2
Kristoffer Nordfeldt — AIK, Sweden-1

Defenders

Isak Hien — Atalanta, Italy-1
Victor Lindelof — Aston Villa, England-1
Hjalmar Ekdal — Burnley, England-1
Gustaf Lagerbielke — Braga, Portugal-1
Carl Starfelt — Celta, Spain-1
Eric Smith — St. Pauli, Germany-1
Daniel Svensson — Borussia Dortmund, Germany-1
Gabriel Gudmundsson — Leeds, England-1
Ken Sema — Pafos, Cyprus-1
Emil Holm — Atalanta, Italy-1

Midfielders

Jesper Karlstrom — Udinese, Italy-1
Lucas Bergvall — Tottenham, England-1
Yasin Ayari — Brighton, England-1
Mattias Svanberg — Wolfsburg, Germany-1
Besfort Zeneli — Union Saint-Gilloise, Belgium-1
Elliot Stroud — Mjallby, Sweden-1

Forwards

Taha Ali — Malmo, Sweden-1
Anthony Elanga — Newcastle, England-1
Benjamin Nygren — Celtic, Scotland-1
Alexander Bernhardsson — Holstein Kiel, Germany-2
Alexander Isak — Liverpool, England-1
Viktor Gyokeres — Arsenal, England-1
Gustaf Nilsson — Club Brugge, Belgium-1