The Matchday 9 encounter in Group A of the 2025 Ice Hockey World Championship between France and Sweden will take place on May 17 at the Avicii Arena in Stockholm. France vs. Sweden: prediction and betting odds, statistics.
France National Team
The French team suffered a 2-5 defeat against Austria in their previous game, marking their fifth consecutive loss at this World Championship (1 in OT). Despite this, France was almost equal to their opponents in shots on target throughout the match. In their group, France ranks second in goals conceded (20), has only one point, and is in seventh place in the table.
- At least five goals have been scored in regulation time in 5 of France's last 6 World Championship games.
- The team has lost after three periods in 8 of their last 9 World Championship matches.
- France has not scored more than two goals in regulation time in 4 of their last 5 World Championship games.
Sweden National Team
Sweden secured their fourth regulation-time victory in the tournament by defeating Slovenia (4-0) in their previous match. Elias Lindholm was a standout performer, scoring three goals. Notably, Sweden outshot their opponents nearly fivefold. With 15 points, the team leads Group A and is one of the most reliable (3 goals conceded) and highest-scoring teams (21 goals scored).
- Sweden has scored at least three goals in four of their last head-to-head meetings in regulation time at the World Championship.
- No more than six goals have been scored in 60 minutes in Sweden's last six World Championship games.
- Sweden has conceded no more than one goal in regulation time in 4 of their last 5 World Championship matches.
France vs. Sweden: Match Prediction
In the upcoming match, I see Sweden as the clear favorite. The French team is unlikely to pose a significant challenge to their opponents. France struggles with effective attacks, having scored no more than one goal in regulation time in 5 of their last 6 head-to-head World Championship meetings. It's also worth noting that France has never defeated Sweden in the history of the World Championship.
On the other hand, Sweden will be focused solely on victory. The team is adept at exploiting their opponents' weaknesses and executing sharp attacks, having scored at least four goals in 5 of their last 6 World Championship games in 60 minutes. However, a tight schedule impacts the team's morale and physical condition. I don't expect Sweden to pursue a high-scoring result in the upcoming match, especially with a challenging game against Group A leaders Canada ahead.
Historically, head-to-head matches between France and Sweden have not been high-scoring affairs, with no more than four goals scored in 60 minutes in 5 of their last 6 World Championship meetings. Therefore, my prediction: Total under 7.5 goals