Sweden opened their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a commanding 5-1 win over Tunisia at Estadio Monterrey, moving straight to the top of Group F after a ruthless attacking performance. Graham Potter’s side entered the tournament with questions around consistency after a difficult qualification campaign, but their opener showed a team full of confidence, pace and finishing quality.
The match started badly for Tunisia, whose defensive errors quickly handed Sweden control. In the 7th minute, Yasin Ayari put Sweden ahead after Tunisian goalkeeper Mouhib Chamakh failed to clear the ball cleanly under pressure. Viktor Gyökeres saw his initial effort blocked, but Ayari reacted first and struck a powerful shot into the net. The goal carried extra emotion, as Ayari has Tunisian roots, but his finish immediately set the tone for Sweden’s night.
Tunisia tried to push forward after falling behind, but that left space for Sweden to counter. In the 30th minute, Gyökeres released Alexander Isak down the left, and the striker cut inside before finishing into the bottom corner to make it 2-0. Sweden looked comfortable, direct and dangerous every time they broke forward, while Tunisia struggled to reorganise after the early setback.
Tunisia did manage to respond before half-time. In the 43rd minute, Omar Rekik scored with a glancing header, giving his side hope and reducing the deficit to 2-1. It was Tunisia’s first real moment of quality in the match and briefly suggested that the second half could become more competitive.
However, Sweden restored control after the break. In the 59th minute, Isak turned provider again, winning the ball and setting up Gyökeres for a simple finish to make it 3-1. That goal effectively ended Tunisia’s momentum and allowed Sweden to manage the match with more freedom.
The fourth goal came in the 84th minute through substitute Mattias Svanberg, who scored almost immediately after coming on. The goal was initially checked for offside, but it stood after a video review. Deep into stoppage time, Ayari completed the scoring in the 90+6th minute with another excellent long-range strike, sealing a dominant 5-1 victory.
From a tactical perspective, Sweden were disciplined, sharp and clinical. They defended compactly when needed, then used the speed and movement of Isak and Gyökeres to punish Tunisia on transitions. Tunisia, meanwhile, were undone by defensive mistakes and struggled to adapt once Sweden took the lead.
For Sweden, this was a statement start and their biggest World Cup scoring performance in decades. For Tunisia, it was a painful opening defeat and a reminder that errors at this level are punished quickly and heavily.