Published Jun 9, 5:03am ET by
Alex Dudley - Betting Preview Analyst and Sports Writer
Last updated Jun 9, 5:03am ET
Credit: Shutterstock
Updated Jun 9, 5:03am ET
The second matchup in Group F is set for June 14, as Sweden bid to get off to a dream start when they face African nation Tunisia in Mexico.
Sweden’s qualifying record was exceptionally poor, but they will be expected to perform to a higher level in a red-hot Group F this summer.
|
|
|---|---|
| Sweden | -107 |
| DRAW | +238 |
| Tunisia | +350 |
Graham Potter will be tasked with working his magic to get Sweden back on track. The national team were extremely underwhelming in qualifying, relying on their Nations League record to fall into the playoffs.
Their spot at the World Cup was achieved following wins over Ukraine and Poland. However, it is hard to dismiss that they have failed to win in eight of their previous ten.
Sweden have underperformed defensively this year, allowing at least two goals in three of their four fixtures. Their hopes will likely hinge on the performances of their star forward players, Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres.
ALSO SEE: World Cup 2026 Outright Winner Odds, Preview, and Picks
Tunisia are the rank outsiders to qualify from Group F this summer. The nation will be playing at their seventh World Cup, and they have never made it out of the group stage. However, they were very impressive in qualifying, winning nine of their ten fixtures, and keeping clean sheets in all matchups.
Their form so far this year has been more underwhelming, losing each of their last two, and scoring just once in their previous four fixtures.
But, they are largely reliable defensively, which will make them hard to break down under Sabri Lamouchi.
I find it hard to like Sweden given that they will play all three of their group stage fixtures in intense climates. The fact that this opener is played in Guadalupe could favor Tunisia, meaning that we could foresee a slight shock result on MD1.
|
Pick
Tunisia (+350)
|
New Player Bonus
50% up to $1000
|
