The round of 32 clash between France and Sweden at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey ended in a emphatic 3-0 victory for Les Bleus. Kylian Mbappé struck in the 45th and 74th minutes, with Bradley Barcola adding a second in the 53rd minute. For Sweden, who had only survived the World Cup group stage as one of the eight best third-placed sides, the tournament is over.
France in control, Sweden without an answer
France had entered the match as group winners of Group I with a perfect record — three wins, no draws, no defeats. Sweden, by contrast, were emblematic of those sides who only reached the knockout round thanks to the tournament's new format: the 2026 World Cup features 48 teams for the first time, up from 32, split across twelve groups of four. From the group stage, 32 sides advance — the twelve group winners and twelve runners-up, plus the eight best third-placed finishers. The knockout round therefore kicks off with a round of 32 for the first time, rather than the quarter-finals as was the case through the 2022 World Cup.
In the first half, France operated in a structured 4-2-3-1 and were dominant without being able to force the opener — until the 45th minute. From a short corner kick, Ousmane Dembélé played a one-two with Kylian Mbappé; Mbappé dummied past Gyökeres and drove low into the far corner — 1-0. It was the perfect moment to break the deadlock.
Mbappé breaks record, Olise delivers fifth assist
Eight minutes after the restart the match was effectively over. Michael Olise threaded a pass through the legs of Lagerbielke into the run of Bradley Barcola, who finished clinically and emphatically — 2-0 in the 53rd minute. Sweden, set up in a 4-4-2, had no answer to the counter-attack.
The third goal arrived in the 74th minute, again through Olise and Mbappé: Barcola laid the ball off to Olise, whose precise through-ball sent Mbappé into the penalty area. The captain brought the ball down and drove it low into the far corner. With that strike, Mbappé set a record: it was his ninth goal in World Cup knockout matches — more than any player in history, surpassing Leônidas and Ronaldo Nazário. It was also his 18th World Cup goal in total, placing him second on the all-time World Cup scoring list behind Lionel Messi.
Michael Olise's assists for the second and third goals took his tally to five for the tournament — a figure last matched at a men's World Cup by Thomas Hässler for Germany in 1994. Manager Didier Deschamps, who had been absent for the final group-stage fixture following a bereavement in his family, marked his return to the touchline with a commanding victory.
France into the last 16, Sweden eliminated
With the scoreline at 3-0, France eased off and rested key players: Mbappé and Olise were both substituted in the 85th minute. The final score remained unchanged. Sweden are out of the tournament. France are into the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup — the second knockout round — and remain firmly on course for the title.
