Sweden appoints former Chelsea boss Graham Potter as new national team coach

The Swedish Football Association announced on Monday that former Chelsea manager Graham Potter has been named as the new head coach of the national team. This comes after the dismissal of Jon Dahl Tomasson last week, following three consecutive defeats in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Sweden ended Tomasson's tenure on October 14, after the side earned just one point from their opening four qualifying fixtures.

The Swedish FA stated that Potter, who parted ways with Premier League outfit West Ham in September, will aim to revitalise a squad featuring top forwards Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres, with the objective of securing a spot at the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

"Our aim is to establish the best possible setup for qualifying for the 2026 World Cup in the summer," the Swedish FA declared in an official statement.

The agreement with Potter encompasses the current qualification campaign, including matches against Switzerland and Slovenia in November, plus a possible play-off in March.

Should Sweden advance, the deal will extend through to the World Cup finals.

"I approach this role with great humility yet tremendous enthusiasm. Sweden boasts exceptional talents who perform consistently in the top leagues around the globe," said the 50-year-old Potter.

Even with high-profile attackers like Liverpool's £125 million signing Isak and Arsenal's £73 million acquisition Gyokeres leading the line, Sweden have not netted in their past three outings and currently languish at the foot of Group B.

Potter previously led Swedish club Ostersund FK from 2011 to 2018, elevating them to the top flight.

His subsequent roles included Swansea City, Brighton and Hove Albion, Chelsea, and West Ham.

Once seen as a rising star in English football management, Potter was relieved of his duties at Chelsea in April 2023 amid a slump in results.

His subsequent spell at West Ham proved challenging over nine months.