Stockholm, Sweden – In a surprising turn of events, Graham Potter, the former Chelsea and West Ham manager, has been appointed as the new head coach of the Swedish national football team. The Swedish Football Association (SvFF) made the announcement on Monday, October 20, 2025, marking a swift return to management for the 50-year-old Englishman.

Potter replaces Jon Dahl Tomasson, who was sacked after a poor run of form that saw Sweden languishing at the bottom of their World Cup qualifying group. Tomasson's dismissal came after a 1-0 defeat at home to Kosovo, a result that severely hampered Sweden's chances of direct qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

The appointment of Potter represents something of a homecoming for the coach, who began his professional managerial career in Sweden with Östersunds FK in January 2011. During his seven-year tenure, he guided the club from the fourth tier of Swedish football to the top flight, Allsvenskan, achieving three promotions. He also led them to victory in the Svenska Cupen in 2017, a historic achievement for the club, and to the knockout stages of the UEFA Europa League.

"I am very humble about the task, but also incredibly inspired," said Potter. "Sweden has fantastic players who deliver in the world's best leagues during the weeks. My job will be to create conditions so that we as a team deliver at the highest level to take Sweden to the World Championship next summer".

Potter's contract initially covers the matches against Switzerland and Slovenia in November, as well as a potential playoff in March. The agreement will be automatically extended if Sweden qualifies for the World Cup next summer.

Kim Källström, the football manager at SvFF, expressed his confidence in Potter's ability to turn things around. "It feels very good that Graham is coming in as national team captain," Källström said. "We are all aware of the situation we are in and believe that he, with his leadership qualities, will get the team together in a good way. He is tactically skilled at creating conditions for winning matches and has an ability to identify players' strengths and how they interact in the best way".

Potter's previous managerial roles include Swansea City, Brighton & Hove Albion, Chelsea, and most recently, West Ham United. He was appointed by West Ham in January 2025, replacing Julen Lopetegui, but was sacked last month after a poor run of results.

The Swedish squad boasts several players from top English clubs, including Victor Lindelof (Aston Villa), Lucas Bergvall (Tottenham), Gabriel Gudmundsson (Leeds), and Anthony Elanga (Newcastle). Sweden also has formidable attacking options in Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak.

Potter's familiarity with Swedish football and his track record of success with Östersunds FK are seen as key factors in his appointment. Football expert Alexander Axén believes that Potter "feels a love for Sweden because it was here he made his breakthrough and did well in Östersund and wants to give something back". Axén also praised Potter's team-building skills and his ability to create a good team spirit, qualities that Sweden desperately needs at the moment.

The appointment is something of a reversal, considering Sven-Göran Eriksson's five-year stint managing the England team between 2001 and 2006. Potter's immediate challenge will be to revitalize Sweden's World Cup qualifying campaign and guide them to a potential playoff spot.