Sweden's 20-Year Streak Ends with Shock Floorball World Championship Semifinal Loss to Switzerland

Sweden's pursuit of a tenth consecutive floorball World Championship title was unexpectedly halted as they fell 6-3 to Switzerland in the semifinals, marking the first time in 20 years that the women's team missed the finals. The intense match, held in Ostrava, saw Switzerland quickly establish dominance with a 3-0 lead within the opening 15 minutes. Sweden's Ellen Rasmussen scored twice, being noted as one of the top performers, yet the Swiss team repeatedly countered, leading 6-1 by the final period. Despite late consolation goals, Sweden could not close the gap.

Sweden will now face Finland in the bronze medal match, while Switzerland advances to meet the Czech Republic, who secured their first-ever final appearance by defeating Finland 1-0 earlier.

The loss has triggered sharp criticism within Swedish floorball circles. Expert Sara Attermo called the result a "catastrophic failure," targeting the head coach Linn Lundström for insufficient experience and tactical planning. She described Sweden’s defense as naive and the players as outmatched physically and strategically. Attermo advocated for a total overhaul of the coaching staff and a return to stricter physical standards for player selection. Emotional responses followed the match; Ellen Rasmussen apologized to fans stating, "We only have ourselves to blame. We did not reach a good level," while coach Lundström shared in the disappointment.

Team captain Ida Sundberg highlighted the tactical struggles against Switzerland’s counter-attacks, and former star Anna Wijk expressed disbelief at the team’s failure to pressure the opponents effectively.

The Swedish Floorball Federation acknowledged the criticism but emphasized its focus remains on concluding the tournament successfully before conducting a thorough review. The future of the coaching staff remains under scrutiny, especially if Sweden fails to secure a medal in the upcoming bronze match.