France claimed a deserved 3-0 victory over Sweden today at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey in the round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup, as the runners-up from the previous edition continued their campaign with confidence and reaffirmed their status as one of the leading title contenders.
The French side advanced to the round of 16, where they will face Paraguay at 1:00 a.m. next Sunday, UAE time.
France owed their victory to star player Kylian Mbappé, who led his national team by scoring twice in the 45th and 74th minutes, while Bradley Barcola added a third goal in the 53rd minute.
France asserted dominance from the outset, with Barcola threatening goal in the 19th minute before Mbappé found the net a minute later, only for the referee to disallow the goal for offside, as the French side maintained relentless pressure on the Swedish defence.
Adrien Rabiot squandered a clear-cut chance after goalkeeper Jakob Widell saved his effort in the 30th minute, then the post denied Mbappé the opener a minute later, before the goalkeeper again saved a stunning overhead kick from Michael Olise in the 35th minute.
Sweden nearly punished their opponents in the 36th minute through a dangerous counter-attack, but the attempt went wide of the post, before Mbappé finally broke Swedish resistance in the 45th minute with a powerful strike that nestled in the far corner, sending France into the break with the lead.
France maintained their superiority in the second half, with Barcola extending Les Bleus' lead in the 53rd minute after capitalising on a precise pass from Olise, who continued to create danger and make influential runs between the lines, underscoring France's attacking dominance throughout the match.
Olise squandered a clear one-on-one opportunity in the 71st minute after the goalkeeper saved his attempt, before turning provider for the third goal, threading a decisive ball to Mbappé, who slotted it home in the 74th minute to seal the result and guide his national team into the next round.
Alongside leading France into the round of 16, Mbappé bolstered his historic record by taking his tally to 18 goals in 18 World Cup matches. He also set the all-time record for goals in knockout rounds with 10 goals, as he continues to chase Lionel Messi in the all-time World Cup top scorers race, now just one goal behind the Argentine legend.