Ahead of Sweden’s crucial 2026 World Cup qualifying matches against Switzerland on Saturday and Slovenia on November 18, captain Emil Forsberg of the New York Red Bulls has been called back up to the national squad.
The 34-year-old’s involvement with the squad has decreased since moving from Red Bull Leipzig of the German Bundesliga to New York two winters ago; thus, this is the first time Forsberg has been called up for World Cup qualifying. Last year, he made 12 appearances for Sweden, although they were divided between UEFA Nations League games, friendlies, and qualification for the European Championship.
In his second season with the Red Bulls, the seasoned midfield player kept up his impressive play, starting 32 of a possible 34 league games with 11 goals and 10 assists. He became the first player since the great Thierry Henry in 2014 to record 10 or more goals and assists in a single season. In a 7-0 victory over the LA Galaxy in May, he became one of just two players in the team’s history to score multiple goals and assists in a single game.
Emil Forsberg’s inclusion in the Swedish national team
Sweden did not make it to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, and they have very little chance of qualifying for the 2026 tournament, which will be hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The final will take place at MetLife Stadium, which is close to Sports Illustrated Stadium, where the Red Bulls play.
They are now in bottom place in the four-team group with just one point after losing their first four games in Group B of UEFA’s qualification format. The Swedish FA was compelled to remove manager Jon Dahl Tomasson and replace him with Graham Potter, a former manager of Chelsea and West Ham, who immediately brought Forsberg back into the team.
Sweden cannot win Group B, which would guarantee an automatic berth in the 48-team World Cup in June, with two qualifying games remaining. If they finish second in the group, they may still earn a position in one of the play-offs, but they would need to win both of these qualifying games and hope that Kosovo, which is now in second place with seven points, loses both of its remaining games.
