​France will carry their group-stage momentum into the World Cup knockout rounds as they prepare to face Graham Potter’s Sweden in the round of 32. Les Bleus arrive in red-hot form, having defeated Senegal, Iraq, and Norway while scoring three or more goals in each match. With Kylian Mbappe aiming to add to his group-stage tally of four, France looks well-equipped to advance, especially as Sweden arrive as massive underdogs.
Potter’s side narrowly advanced from the group stage as one of the eight best third-placed teams and will need a historic upset to prevent Didier Deschamps from guiding his team into the next round. Deschamps will be back on the touchline after briefly returning to France for his mother’s funeral. Here is everything you need to know.
When is France vs Sweden? The match kicks off at 10pm BST (5pm ET) on Tuesday 30 June at the New York/New Jersey Stadium.
How can I watch it? In the UK, the game will be shown on ITV1 or STV for Scottish viewers, with streaming available on ITV X and STV Player.
Who will the winner face? The victor will meet Paraguay, who toppled Germany on penalties in their round of 16 encounter. That match is set for Saturday 4 July in Philadelphia.
Team news: William Saliba was rested against Norway due to a back issue but is expected to reclaim his place against Sweden. Sweden’s only injury concern is Isak Hien, with Victor Lindelof likely to move from midfield into defense in his absence.
Predicted line-ups:
France XI: Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Hernandez; Tchouameni, Rabiot; Olise, Dembele, Doue; Mbappe.
Sweden XI: Zetterstrom; Lagerbielke, Lindelof, Gudmundsson; Bernhardsson, Bergvall, Ayari, Stroud; Elanga, Gyokeres, Isak.