Sweden defeats Tunisia 5-1 in World Cup 2026 opener

Sweden opened its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a 5-1 victory over Tunisia in Group F. Yasin Ayari opened the scoring in the 7th minute with a long‑range shot, and Viktor Gyökeres provided the assist for Alexander Isak's goal in the 30th minute. Gyökeres added a second goal before half‑time, extending the lead to 3‑1. Early in the second half Mattias Svanberg scored the fourth, and Ayari completed his brace with a late strike to seal the win.

The result places Sweden temporarily at the top of the group with three points, ahead of the Netherlands and Japan, while Tunisia sit at the bottom. Sweden's next group match is against the Netherlands, and Japan will face Tunisia.

The match highlighted Sweden's attacking depth, with contributions from Arsenal‑linked players and a solid defensive performance that limited Tunisia to a single consolation goal in the first half.