UEFA World Cup qualifying: Poland vs. Sweden odds, how to watch, more

Sweden and Poland have had very similar paths when it comes to making the FIFA World Cup out of UEFA World Cup qualifying stages.

Since 1994, they’ve appeared in each of the same three World Cups — 2002, 2006, and 2018. But now, something has to give.

The two countries meet on Tuesday night at Śląski Stadium in Chorzów (POL) in one of three play-off finals that will punch the winner’s ticket to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Poland and Sweden met last year at the postponed 2020 European Championships with the latter coming out on top. In fact, the Swedes have won each of the last six meetings against their European counterparts.

This time, however, the White and Reds had the upper hand in having a bye to the play-off final while Sweden was forced to take part in a semifinal where it just edged the Czech Republic in extra time.

This match will feature two of the more prominent strikers in the world, both of whom have had just enough time to make it back for such a pivotal affair.

Robert Lewandowski — the Ballon d’Or striker of the year in 2021 and the two-time defending FIFA best men’s player of the year — returns from a knee injury that had him sit out for Thursday’s friendly against Scotland.

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On the Swedish side, legendary front-man Zlatan Ibrahimovic has come out of international retirement to rejoin his national club and will be available to play after a ban. It will be the 41-year-old’s last chance to make a World Cup and score a goal on the big stage. He was a substitute in 2002, hampered by injuries in 2006, and retired in 2018.