Japan vs. Sweden Prediction, Picks, Lineups for World Cup Today

All eyes will be on today’s Japan vs. Sweden World Cup game on June 25 at 7 p.m. ET, live on FS1 and Telemundo, as both teams are fighting to qualify for the knockout stage.

The final Group F match pits Japan’s top-ranked offense, averaging 3 goals per game, vs. a Sweden defense that ranks 30th in expected goals conceded (2.9), per Fotmob.

With four points, Japan sit second in Group F; they will qualify for the knockout stage with any result (win or draw). Sweden needs a win to guarantee their spot in the knockout stage. 

Goal difference will play a factor in qualifying, as Netherlands leads the group based on goals scored — 7 to Japan’s 6. Both teams have a +4 goal differential.

According to PrizePicks Team Picks, Japan is a clear favorite to win vs. Sweden, with a 1.78x payout to win

Below, we’ll break down our Japan vs. Sweden prediction and picks for Thursday’s World Cup 2026 match, including the spread, total goals, and key player picks for PrizePicks.

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Japan vs. Sweden World Cup Prediction, Spread, Over/Under – Thursday, 6/25/26

How to watch Japan vs. Sweden: FS1 (English) / Telemundo/Peacock (Spanish)

Kickoff Time: 7:00 p.m. ET

Venue: AT&T Stadium (Dallas Stadium) in Dallas, Texas

Group: Group F

It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone, but Japan has been stellar to begin the 2026 World Cup, securing a 2-2 draw against a talented Netherlands side before cruising to a 4-0 victory over Tunisia. 

Both the Netherlands and Japan enter their final group-stage game with four points and a +4 goal difference, meaning every goal will count on Thursday night.

With a win or a draw against Sweden, Japan will qualify for the knockout stage, though winning the group may be tough, with Tunisia being the Netherlands’ final foe in the group; Tunisia has conceded 9 goals in two games.

After sitting out the win over Tunisia with a knee injury, Takefusa Kubo has been ruled out for Thursday's contest.

Entering Thursday, Japan carries a 4.54x payout to win Group F, while the Netherlands has a 1.23x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks.

Find the latest World Cup Knockout Stage standings as it stands here

Sweden has been on both sides of a 5-1 result in their first two World Cup matches, winning 5-1 vs. Tunisia, then losing 5-1 to the Netherlands. With three points in their pocket, a win over Japan is needed for Sweden to guarantee qualification to the Round of 32; a draw would put them in an ideal spot to advance as a third-place team.

All three of the Netherlands, Japan, and Sweden have scored at least 6 goals across their first two matches, so offense hasn’t been lacking in Group F.

According to PrizePicks Team Picks, Sweden has a 1.05x payout to qualify for the knockout stage, even as underdogs vs. Japan.

Ahead of Thursday’s match, our updated World Cup power rankings have Japan ranked at 14th and Sweden at 20th.

Japan vs. Sweden: Favorite to Win, Spread, Total Goals – Thursday, June 25

Here are the full payouts for the Japan vs. Sweden World Cup game on PrizePicks Team Picks — available in 35 states.

Winner Payout: Sweden – 4x | Tie – 3.33x | Japan – 1.78x

Spread: Japan -1.5 (3.12x Payout) 

Total Goals: 2.5 (Over – 1.69x)

Both Teams to Score: Yes 1.61x | No 2.22x

Payouts show potential returns on correct Team Picks predictions. A 2x payout returns $200 on a $100 entry. Lower multipliers reflect outcomes users are picking as more likely. Payouts are live as of writing and subject to change.

Japan enters Thursday’s game as the favorite to win, returning a 1.78x payout to win outright, via PrizePicks Team Picks. Meanwhile, Sweden will hope their attack can put pressure on Japan’s defense, coming in as an underdog with a 4x payout. 

A tie is slightly more likely than a Sweden win, partially due to the possibility the Swedes play for a draw to secure their qualification.

Make your Japan vs. Sweden prediction on PrizePicks Team Picks — available in 35 states!

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Japan vs. Sweden Prediction on Total Goals for World Cup 2026 

Here are the key stats and trends for our Japan vs. Sweden World Cup prediction on the over/under total goals on PrizePicks for the Group F game on Thursday, June 25.

• Sweden has failed to record a clean sheet in 13 consecutive matches across all competitions.
• Furthermore, Sweden has surrendered multiple goals in four of their last five games.
• Sweden has conceded 6 goals in two World Cup games, including 5 goals to Netherlands.
• Japan has scored at least 2 goals in each of their first two World Cup matches.
• The Blue Samurai has scored 3 or more goals in seven of their last 10 games in all competitions.
• Sweden is third in shots on target per match (7.5), while Japan is 20th (4.0) in the same metric, per FotMob.
• Additionally, Sweden is tied for the 12th-most big chances created (6), and Japan is tied for the 22nd-most (4).

Lock in your Japan vs. Sweden prediction for the 2026 World Cup now!

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Japan vs. Sweden Lineups for World Cup 2026 – Thursday, June 25

Here are the projected Japan vs. Sweden lineups for Thursday's World Cup group stage match. Lineups are not official and are based on historical data.

Japan Lineup vs. Sweden in World Cup Game

Japan is missing several key pieces heading into the World Cup, including MID Wataru Endo, LW Kaoru Mitoma, and Takumi Minamino. In addition, RW Takefusa Kubo suffered a knee injury vs. the Netherlands and will remain out.

Projected Formation: 3-4-2-1

• Goalkeeper: Zion Suzuki
• Defense: Junnosuke Suzuki, Takehiro Tomiyasu, Shogo Watanabe
• Midfield: Keito Nakamura, Daichi Kamada, Kaishu Sano, Ritsu Doan
• Attacking Mid: Junya Ito, Daizen Maeda
• Forward: Ayase Ueda

Sweden Lineup vs. Japan in World Cup Game

Projected Formation: 3-5-2

• Goalkeeper: Kristoffer Nordfeldt
• Defense: Viktor Lindelöf, Isak Hien, Gustaf Lagerbielke
• Midfield: Gabriel Gudmundsson, Yasin Ayari, Jesper Karlström, Lucas Bergvall, Anthony Elanga
• Forwards: Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyökeres

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Japan vs. Sweden World Cup Picks Today – Thursday, June 25

Here are the top Japan vs. Sweden World Cup picks to target on PrizePicks for Thursday, June 25. Today’s World Cup 2026 picks are headlined by Ayase Ueda and Viktor Gyökeres.

Japan F Ayase Ueda vs. Sweden

Ayase Ueda Projections via PrizePicks: 1.5 Shots (Goblin), 0.5 Shots on Target (Goblin), 0.5 Goal + Assist (Demon)

• After putting up just 1 shot against the Netherlands in Japan’s opening match, Ueda exploded for 5 shots against Tunisia.
• Ueda tallied 3 shots on target vs. Tunisia, and he’s logged at least 1 shot on target in four of his last five non-international friendly matches.
• Through the Blue Samurai’s first two matches, Ueda is tied for the most chances created (3) and has the third-most xG + xA per 90 minutes (0.53) on the roster.
• Entering the World Cup, Ueda was in fantastic form, posting multiple shots in eight straight appearances for Feyenoord. He totaled 7 goals during that span.

Combine Japan + Ayase Ueda World Cup picks for bigger payouts on PrizePicks

Sweden F Viktor Gyökeres vs. Japan 

Viktor Gyökeres Projections via PrizePicks: 1.5 Shots (Goblin), 1.5 Shots on Target (Demon), 0.5 Goal + Assist (Demon)

• Gyökeres has racked up 5 shots in each of his first two World Cup matches.
• Besides having at least 2 shots on target in Sweden’s first two WC games, Gyökeres leads the squad in shots on target per 90 (2.5).
• In addition to pacing Sweden in xG per 90 (0.45), he’s notched the most chances created (7) on the team.
• Sweden needs a win to guarantee qualification, which should keep the Swedes aggressive on the attack for all 90 minutes.

Combine Sweden + Viktor Gyokeres World Cup picks for bigger payouts on PrizePicks

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Make Your Japan vs. Sweden Prediction on PrizePicks

Thursday's World Cup game between Japan and Sweden may be the most-anticipated on the day, as the result will decide the second-place qualifier in Group F. Goals could be frequent given the scoring options on both sides of this match.

Don’t wait until the match starts. Make your Japan vs. Sweden picks on PrizePicks now and earn real money if you’re right on every World Cup game.

Pick World Cup players, predict More or Less on their stats, and cash in if you’re right. With Team Picks, you can make predictions on World Cup match winners, spreads, and over/unders, now available in 35 states.

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