Sweden vs Romania: High expectations for the start of the new campaign
Sweden head into the opening match of the UEFA Nations League following an eventful 2026. Graham Potter’s side successfully qualified for the World Cup, where they produced both brilliant and controversial moments: a resounding 5-1 victory over Tunisia, a 1-1 draw against Japan, a heavy 1-5 defeat to the Netherlands, and a 0-3 loss to France in the Round of 16.
Now, Potter is launching a fresh cycle in the Nations League, boasting a squad full of quality. The roster features stars like Viktor Gyökeres and Alexander Isak, alongside Lucas Bergvall, Victor Lindelöf, Yasin Ayari, and Sebastian Nanasi. However, the hosts enter the match dealing with a few blows: Anthony Elanga is sidelined for September’s fixtures due to injury, and Mattias Svanberg withdrew from the squad on September 18.
Romania are opening an entirely new chapter. Legendary manager Mircea Lucescu has returned to the national team dugout, taking charge for his first official matches in this new campaign. For the opening four fixtures of the Nations League, he has called up 33 players, notably featuring Andrei Rațiu, Radu Drăgușin, Răzvan Marin, Nicolae Stanciu, Dennis Man, Ianis Hagi, and Denis Drăguș.
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The visitors' recent form has been mixed. Back in June, Romania secured a 2-1 win over Wales and a 1-1 draw with Georgia, though those results followed defeats to Slovakia (0-2) and Turkey (0-1). Lucescu now faces the tough task of stabilizing his team immediately against Sweden away from home.
Historically, the head-to-head record favors the Scandinavians. In official UEFA statistics, Sweden boast six victories to Romania's three, with three draws. Their last encounter took place in November 2019 and ended in a 2-0 win for Sweden.
An intriguing tactical battle awaits at the Strawberry Arena. Sweden possess a fearsome attack and will look to seize control from the outset, while Romania under Lucescu are expected to adopt a more pragmatic approach, relying on defensive discipline and quick transitions. Particular attention will be on how the visitors cope with the lethal duo of Gyökeres and Isak.
Prediction: Win Sweden
