Alexander Isak is set to be in international action early on Monday morning, June 15, 2026, as Sweden takes on Tunisia to launch their World Cup campaign. The highly anticipated Group F fixture is scheduled for a 3:00 AM BST kick-off (UK time), broadcasting live from Monterrey Stadium in Mexico
The match serves as a massive platform for the frontman, who looks to put a difficult debut season on Merseyside behind him. After becoming Liverpool’s marquee £125 million signing, the tournament offers Isak the perfect stage to showcase his world-class caliber and rewrite his narrative on the global stage.
By leading the line for the Blue and Yellow, Isak will become the fifth Liverpool player to feature at the World Cup within the tournament’s frantic opening 24 hours.
If Isak is to start for Graham Potter’s side this evening, he will have to beat Viktor Gyokeres. The Arsenal striker has played a lot for his country due to the Reds forward suffering injuries this past year.
If the 26-year-old features this evening, it will be his debut at the World Cup. His country failed to qualify for the last World Cup, though they reached the quarterfinals in 2018.
Sweden’s last four World Cup campaigns has saw them reach the knockout stages, with a third-place finish in the 1994 competition. The African side have never gone further than the group stages. They qualified for the last two World Cups, with a victory over France in Qatar.
The Swede has struggled since moving to Anfield, with several injuries and a lack of impressive performances. Potter with Sky Sports ahead of the competiton, as he knows he’s still a brilliant striker.
He said, “He’s a great lad who wants to play football and help his team. Sometimes everybody’s career can go up and down, but the quality of the person and the player is undeniable from our perspective.”
| Date | Match | Competition | Minutes played | Goal contributions | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 June, 2026 | Sweden vs Greece | International friendly | 63 | 0 | D 2-2 |
| 1 June, 2026 | Norway vs Sweden | International friendly | 28 | 1 | L 3-2 |
| 9 May, 2026 | Liverpool vs Chelsea | Premier League | 23 | 0 | D 1-1 |
How to watch
- Date: Monday, 15 June, 2026
- Kickoff time: 8pm local time (CT), 3am BST
- Location: Estadio BBVA, Monterrey, Mexico
- TV/Streaming: Zee5, Fox (US), ITV (UK)
Recent form guide
Sweden: In their two warm-up matches before the World Cup, they failed to win. With a draw to Greece and a defeat to Norway. In their last 10 matches, they have only won twice, with a 3-1 win over Ukraine and a 3-2 victory against Poland. Isak wasn’t in the squad for either as he was out with a broken leg.
Tunisia: For how bad Sweden’s run of form has been, Tunisia’s has been just as bad. A 1-0 defeat to Austria, and a 5-0 hammering to Belgium won’t have filled them with confidence. In the African Cup of Nations, they reached the knockout round, though lost in the first round to Mali on penalties.
| Team | Recent form | Key warmup results |
|---|---|---|
| Sweden | D L W W D | 3-1 Ukraine, 3-2 Poland |
| Tunisia | L L D W D | 1-0 Haiti |
Injuries, absensces, suspension
It seems that everyone will be available for both sides, apart from one man in the Swedish camp. While not confirmed, Gabriel Gudmundsson may miss the opening fixture due to illness. Isak has suffered several injuries this season, though he seems fit and ready for the clash with Tunisia. If the wingback is out due to his illness, Elliot Stroud will be his replacement.
Sweden
- Gabriel Gudmundsson – illness
Tunisia
- None
Predicted starting lineup
Potter has opted to use a similar formation that he utilised at Chelsea, with a three at the back. Wingbacks are often used as attacking outlets with two strikers leading the line. There are plenty of Premier League options to choose from in the midfield areas.
In the last two games, Tunisia have used slightly different formations, from a 4-2-3-1, with a more attacking intent, to a 4-4-1-1 against the Red Devils. With it being their opening fixture, a more pragmatic approach may be in line.
Sweden predicted XI (3-4-1-2)
Nordfeldt; Lagerbielke, Hien, Svensson; Bernhardsson, Svanberg, Ayari, Stround; Nygren; Gyokeres, Isak
Tunisia predicted XI (4-4-1-1)
Chamakh; Valery, Rekik, Talbi, Ali Abdi; Skhiri, Khedira, Achouri, Hannibal; Gharbi; Chaouat
ReadLiverpool verdict
Despite a tough run-in, Sweden should be getting past Tunisia with the quality in their team. The Premier League quality in their squad is advanced, with Isak being one of the best strikers. The Liverpool supporters will be hoping for a successful World Cup campaign.
Match fitness is key to the 26-year-old after missing out on large parts of the campaign. Wirtz and Van Dijk have already found the back of the net; now it’s a great chance for Isak to add his name to the list against Tunisia.
