Finland Shocks Sweden with First Bandy World Championship Loss in Six Years

In a dramatic upset at the 2026 Bandy World Championship, Sweden's men's team suffered their first defeat in six years, losing 4-3 to host nation Finland in the critical final group stage match. Despite Sweden's strong start, building a 2-0 lead within the first four minutes through goals by William Arvidsson and Joel Broberg, Finland made a resilient comeback to claim victory.

Finland’s Niklas Holopainen was instrumental, scoring two goals, including the equalizer just before halftime. As the game progressed, Finland equalized the score multiple times, with Tuukka Ässämäki contributing a deflected shot to tie the game again after Sweden briefly reclaimed the lead. The match's decisive moment came in the 86th minute when Emil Fedorov netted the backhand winning goal, igniting celebrations among the roughly 3,000 Finnish supporters.

This victory marks Finland's first win over Sweden in World Championship history since 2016 and snaps Sweden's unbeaten streak at the tournament that lasted since their 2019 final loss to Russia. The result also shifts the semifinal matchups. Finland, having topped the group, will face the USA, whom they previously defeated 14-1, while Sweden will confront Norway, a more challenging opponent against whom Sweden had earlier recorded a dominant 12-1 win.

Finland’s coach Ari Holopainen praised his team's steady improvement throughout the game, emphasizing the collective effort behind the comeback. Player Tuukka Ässämäki echoed this sentiment, saying, "We became better all the time, and it was a fine effort by the whole team." Meanwhile, Holopainen expressed optimism about their semifinal chances, stating, "I count on us to play the final then."

Sweden's unexpected loss has introduced a new dynamic to the championship, highlighting the unpredictability of the tournament and ending their recent dominance. The Swedish team now faces a tougher semifinal challenge, while Finland's momentum is high heading into the next phase of the competition.