L’équipe de France secured an 84-69 victory against Sweden at the Avicii Arena in Stockholm on Sunday, August 30, taking a major step toward qualification for the 2027 World Cup in Qatar. According to match reports, the French side overcame early shooting struggles and a dominant performance by Sweden’s Pelle Larsson to improve their record to seven wins and one defeat in Group L.
How the French Squad Navigated the Stockholm Trap
Playing in an expanded venue in Stockholm—upgraded from an 8,000-seat arena to accommodate the demand to see Victor Wembanyama—head coach Freddy Fauthoux’s team faced a stern test. Fauthoux had warned before tip-off that Sweden entered the fixture as the form team of the group, a status underscored by a 23-point night from Pelle Larsson, who plays for the Miami Heat, and 16 points from Ludde Hakanson.
The visitors struggled mightily with perimeter shooting in the opening periods, hitting just 10 of 37 attempts from beyond the arc over the course of the evening. Sweden capitalized on early French clumsiness, seizing a 24-20 lead at the end of the first quarter and maintaining pressure into the second. At halftime, the scoreboard showed a tied 38-38 contest, with Wembanyama scoring 11 points in the first half to keep the visitors afloat while the offense searched for rhythm.
Wembanyama and Strazel Lead the Second-Half Surge
The decisive turning point arrived in the third quarter when Matthew Strazel caught fire, hitting an 11-point scoring run that gave France a slender 55-54 edge at the buzzer. Wembanyama finished the night with 18 points, eight rebounds, three blocks, two passes, and one interception across 30 minutes on the floor, recording a plus-minus rating of +16.
As the game entered the final quarter, both teams traded blows before French composure in the money-time stretch sealed the outcome. Joel Ayayi hit a crucial corner three-pointer and finished with a team-high +20 rating, while Maxime Raynaud and Jaylen Hoard chipped in 13 and 10 points respectively. Nadir Francisco iced the contest from the perimeter and the free-throw line down the stretch to stretch the final margin to 84-69.
Group L Standings and World Cup Outlook
With this hard-fought result, the French national team sits comfortably at the top of Group L with seven victories through eight games. With four fixtures remaining in the qualification campaign, the squad holds a commanding three-win cushion over the fourth-place side, safeguarding their path to the 2027 global tournament.
The qualification campaign will pause for the upcoming international window, during which the Tricolores are scheduled to travel to Estonia. Subsequent fixtures will proceed without NBA-contracted personnel, making this hard-earned victory in Stockholm a vital cushion for the remainder of the qualifying slate.
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