World Cup
FIFA World
Cup 2026
LIVE
3m ago
live
Updated
France are leading Sweden 2-0 at the 2026 World Cup.
Kylian Mbappe opened the scoring shortly before half-time, firing home after he had earlier hit the post and seen another effort ruled out for offside.
The goal, Mbappe’s fifth of the tournament, moves him on to 17 World Cup goals and into second place on the all-time scorers list, behind only Lionel Messi, who has 19.
Bradley Barcola made it two with a thumping strike, with France on course to face Paraguay in the next round.
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62’ France 2-0 Sweden
There's been plenty of talk in the U.S., led primarily by the jingoistic broadcaster Fox, about whether the USMNT is capable of winning the World Cup. I'm an American and the thought of Tim Ream going up against Kylian Mbappe, Bradley Barcola, Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembele is enough to want a mercy rule implemented in this tournament.
62’ France 2-0 Sweden
That was prime Olise territory, opening the ball up onto his left foot and bending it — but this time Zetterstrom makes a good save.
60’ France 2-0 Sweden
Hard to see a way back into this game for Sweden now. At the risk of counting chickens, perhaps the more salient question at this point is, who is going to stop this France team?
Morocco, a potential quarter-final opponent, might have the defensive strength to keep France in check just enough. Spain, a potential semi-final match-up, have the talent to attempt to score with France.
60’ France 2-0 Sweden
That was another lovely chance orchestrated by Olise, who skips inside and feeds Kounde but he cross is held easily by Zetterstrom.
58’ France 2-0 Sweden
Didier Deschamps has to be thinking about changes soon. France have looked comfortable for most of this game and it is still a very hot day to be playing — there's no need to risk injuries with key games ahead.
By my count, apart from back-up goalkeepers Brice Samba and Robin Risser, N'Golo Kante, Warren Zaire-Emery and Lucas Hernandez are the only France players to have not got any World Cup action so far this tournament. This may be the perfect time for that to change, if Deschamps is feeling sentimental.
57’ France 2-0 Sweden
As a player who isn't the first or second best attacking player for his club, PSG, or his country, France, Barcola doesn't get nearly enough credit for how good he is.
There aren't many teams or nations in the world where he wouldn't be the star of the team and maybe we will only see that if he decides to leave PSG.
Great work from Olise in the build-up to that and a wonderful finish from Barcola who left Zetterstrom with no chance.
It's only 2-0 and there is still over half an hour left, but that second goal feels terminal for Sweden.
56’ France 2-0 Sweden
Barcola made that look easy. Felt like a shot through the heart for Sweden fans, who are literally sitting front row for France's second goal.
54’ France 2-0 Sweden
Gustaf Lagerbielke, close your legs! Delightful nutmeg from Michael Olise on the Swedish centre-back in his pass to Bradley Barcola there.
54’ France 2-0 Sweden
Easy as you like!
Olise threads the eye of a needle and nutmegs Lagerbielke to feed Barcola, who slams it into the top corner.
A deserved two goal lead for France.
53’ France 2-0 Sweden
Another Michael Olise assist!
52’ France 1-0 Sweden
France are moving the ball nicely in this first period of the second half as Kounde makes a run in on the right and tries to square a cross into the box but Sweden cut it out and clear.
50’ France 1-0 Sweden
A group of France players has begun a warm-up right below us: Desire Doue, Khephren Thuram, Rayan Cherki, Malo Gusto and Maxence Lacroix are being put through their paces by a coach. Perhaps a sign of Didier Deschamps' thinking ahead of potential changes later in the half?
48’ France 1-0 Sweden
Everything here very low energy as the second half begins, except for the few dozen Swedish jumping up and down together in their fan section.
In this heat, standing directly in the sun, that takes serious dedication. I would simply keel over.
47’ France 1-0 Sweden
Some have questioned why Kylian Mbappe is France captain, and the memes about him being a 'dictator' are widespread on the internet.
But just before the start of the half there, he made sure to gather the France XI for a huddle around the centre-circle, making a point to beckon over goalkeeper Mike Maignan, who was all the way over by the goal placing his towel and bottle.
Mbappe then spoke to the team for a few moments, before they split off into their positions.
46’ France 1-0 Sweden
We are back at MetLife, let’s see if Sweden can find a way back into this match…
The 15 sprinklers are out again, joined by 11 groundstaff checking various parts of the pitch.
It will be interesting to see what the players and coaches have to say about the future World Cup final surface — it doesn't seem to have stopped France from putting together some delightful sequences.
On the topic of knockout-stage World Cup goals, it is still one of the most insane stats in football that Cristiano Ronaldo does not have a single one.
As flagged earlier, Mbappe needed to score just once to become the man with the most goals in the knockout stage in the history of the World Cup. Well, he's done it and now sits top of the pile on nine.
FIFA are running a live poll on their website on who is having the better tournament out of Messi and Mbappe.
56 per cent have gone for Mbappe, which may be recency bias of the past 45 minutes, but is also true.
Team Stats
FRA
SWE
Game Details