Albania, Georgia, and Luxembourg are three of the teams that Sweden can get in the first round of the autumn's European Championship playoff.
But the Swedish players take nothing for granted despite the low-ranked opposition.
It feels scary, says central defender Magdalena Eriksson ahead of Friday's draw.
0–0 against England at Gamla Ullevi on Tuesday meant that Sweden finished third in their European Championship qualifying group behind France and England, who took the two direct places.
On Friday, the draw will take place to determine which opponent Sweden will get in the first step of the autumn's playoff, where it requires a win in two double matches to reach the football European Championship in Switzerland next year.
In the first playoff round, which takes place at the end of October, one of the eight best teams from the European Championship qualifying C-division awaits.
Dream draw: Georgia
This is an obstacle that Sweden normally should overcome. But there is a big difference between being drawn against the lowest-ranked country, Georgia (119th), which Sweden defeated 15–0 in the World Championship qualifying two years ago, or being drawn against 40th-ranked Slovenia.
We will need to be 100 percent on top. What's positive is that it will be very good training for us to play these matches when it's do-or-die, where we have to perform and where we have to be the best when it matters, says Bayern Munich defender Magdalena Eriksson.
If they advance from there, potentially much tougher opponents await in a decisive playoff in the November-December period. Either Sweden will then face a team from the B-division or Poland, the lowest-ranked team from the A-division. On paper, a "nightmare draw" would be Portugal, 21st in the world rankings, and a team that almost knocked out powerhouse USA in the group stage during last year's World Championship.
It feels scary, says Magdalena Eriksson about the autumn's playoff games.
We know that there will be tough matches in the autumn, it will be really nerve-wracking matches where an incredible amount is at stake and where anything can happen.
"We're going to the European Championship"
The disappointment after missing a direct spot to the European Championship – a win against England would have been enough – was alleviated somewhat by the knowledge that they have a lifeline left in the playoffs.
And the Swedish players are convinced that they will make it to the championship in the end.
We had, of course, hoped to qualify directly, but you're still glad that there's a second chance, says Barcelona star Fridolina Rolfö.
It would have felt even worse if it was completely over, we still have a chance and we're going to take it. We're going to make it to the European Championship, says Chelsea striker Johanna Rytting Kaneryd.
On Friday, the draw will take place to determine who meets in the autumn's playoff for a spot in the 2025 football European Championship.
The first round takes place between October 23 and 29, and the decisive round between November 27 and December 3.
Eight teams from the A-groups (third and fourth places) – including Sweden – are drawn against five group winners and the three best runners-up in the C-division. The eight winners of the double matches advance to the final playoff phase.
In the B-division, a first "internal" playoff takes place over six double matches. The winners advance to the final playoff stage.
In the final stage, seven matches are drawn. Seeding before the draw is based on a ranking according to the results in the first group stage. The seven winners in the final playoff stage qualify for the 2025 European Championship.
A-division teams: Sweden, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Poland, Ireland, Norway, Finland.
B-division: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Hungary, Northern Ireland, Portugal, Scotland, Serbia, Turkey, Ukraine, Wales, Slovakia, Azerbaijan.
C-division: Albania, Belarus, Greece, Romania, Slovenia, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Georgia.
Qualified for the European Championship: Switzerland (host nation), France, England, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Denmark, Germany, Iceland.
