Soccer Football - World Cup - UEFA Qualifiers - Group B - Kosovo v Sweden - Fadil Vokrri Stadium, Pristina, Kosovo - September 8, 2025 Sweden coach Jon Dahl Tomasson before the match REUTERS/Valdrin Xhemaj
(Reuters) -Sweden could be set to sack a national team manager for the first time ever, with Jon Dahl Tomasson's position under serious pressure after a dismal start to their World Cup qualifying campaign left them on the brink of elimination.
Tomasson was in defiant mood after the latest loss, 1-0 at home to Kosovo on Monday, saying he had no intention of resigning but that decision could be made for him.
Swedish media reported that the country's football federation is holding an extraordinary meeting on Tuesday, and the main topic of discussion will surely be Tomasson's future after the team collected one point from their first four Group B games.
"We have full confidence in our coach, until we don't," Sweden's head of football Kim Kallstrom told SVT Sport after Monday's defeat.
"It's a results-driven industry. We have to go back and analyse this to see the ways forward.
"We are discussing with the board. They make the decision, then they discuss with many others within Swedish football. There are many, big, decisions that we cannot make hastily."
Sweden came into the qualifying campaign on the back of three friendly wins, but after starting with a 2-2 draw in Slovenia, Tomasson's side have lost twice to Kosovo and at home to Switzerland.
The Swiss top the group on 10 points with Kosovo second, which would mean advancing to the playoffs, on seven points. Slovenia have three points, leaving Sweden bottom of the standings on one point with two games remaining.
FANS URGE TOMASSON TO RETURN TO DENMARK
Swedish fans have made their feelings clear, with banners appearing in the stands urging Tomasson to go back to Denmark.
Tomasson's team includes striker Viktor Gyokeres, who netted three goals in his first four Premier League games for Arsenal having scored 54 for Sporting last season.
Alexander Isak, who joined Liverpool from Newcastle United last month for a British record fee of 125 million pounds ($165.8 million), is also in the side along with Newcastle's Anthony Elanga.
Sweden have registered two goals in four qualifying games.
"We forgot how to score goals and I don't know why," Tomasson told Viaplay.
($1 = 0.7540 pounds)
(Reporting by Trevor Stynes, editing by Ed Osmond)
