Switzerland secured a 4-1 win over Sweden on Friday to all but seal their place at next year’s FIFA World Cup, leaving the country top of the group with a significant goal difference advantage over second-placed Kosovo.
The Swiss top group B is on 13 points, three ahead of Kosovo, which defeated Slovenia 2-0. They host the Swiss in their final qualifying match on Tuesday, but with Switzerland having a goal difference of 12 compared to Kosovo’s, they will likely have to settle for second place in the group.
The Swiss got off to a flying start when Breel Embolo opened the scoring with a brilliant first-time finish in the 13th minute. In the 33rd minute, however, Benjamin Nygren equalized for the Swedes, who finished their first half of football strongly under new coach Graham Potter.
Cheered on by the home crowd, Switzerland took the lead again after an hour when Swedish goalkeeper Viktor Johansson was penalized for tripping Embolo in the penalty area as he tried to deal with an undersized back pass, and Granit Xhaka stroked home the resulting penalty.
That tipped the balance back in the hosts’ favour, and they sealed the three points in the 75th minute when Dan Ndoye took a touch before firing the ball past Johansson to make it 3-1. Substitute Johan Manzambi added a fourth in stoppage time.
The Swedes, who sacked coach Jon Dahl Tomasson after a disappointing campaign that left them bottom of the group with one point, will still have a chance to qualify for the 2026 tournament in the US, Canada and Mexico via a Nations League play-off spot.
Published on November 16, 2025
