France — Sweden match: the way to the 2026 World Cup, when and at what time to watch

France is approaching the 1/16 finals with the maximum points in its group and a bright attack, Sweden — with a more uneven, but lively and combative route. This is a meeting between the winner of Group I and one of the best teams from the third place. The game will take place on July 1 at 00:00 Moscow time at New York/New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford (New Jersey, USA).

The path of monstrous France

Didier Deschamps' team went through the group without losses: 3:1 with Senegal, 3:0 with Iraq, 4:1 with Norway. The main characters are Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele: both came to the playoffs with strong performances, and Dembele also scored a hat-trick for the Norwegians.

Sweden, which experienced a swing

Graham Potter's Sweden started by defeating Tunisia 5:1, then lost to the Netherlands 1:5, but held the necessary 1-1 draw with Japan and went on as one of the best third. The main characters of this team are Ayyari, Isak, Gekeres and Elanga.

How can the match go

In the group, France looked more powerful in pace, pressure and execution, while Sweden was more comfortable responding vertically through Isak and Gekeres with Elanga's acceleration. The key is whether the Swedish defense can withstand the initial onslaught of Mbappe and Dembele. France is a small favorite.

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For France, this is a match to confirm the status of a contender for the title, for Sweden it is a chance to turn an already successful tournament into a big playoff plot. If the Swedes impose a forceful and direct game, the intrigue will drag on; if not, the depth of the French attack can decide everything in the second half.