Romania faces Sweden in Nations League opener under Hagi

Romania opens its 2026-27 Nations League campaign against Sweden at Strawberry Arena in Stockholm on Friday at 21:45 local time. Gheorghe Hagi, 61, starts his second tenure as national team selector in this League B Group 4 fixture. Sweden, coached by Englishman Graham Potter, 51, features star forwards Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres and boasts a squad valued at €414 million compared to Romania's €130 million.

Hagi acknowledged Sweden's offensive strength, noting they scored 18 goals in their last 10 matches but also conceded heavily. He stressed the need for a pragmatic approach, balancing defensive solidity with offensive efficiency. Romania will be without injured forwards Denis Drăguș and Florinel Coman, though Hagi expressed confidence in the available attacking options.

“We must be pragmatic, play very well and win.”

Ianis Hagi, 27, is set to start despite limited playing time at his club Alanyaspor this season. The selector called his son a team captain and hoped he would make the difference. Technical director Mihai Stoichiță described the squad atmosphere as calm and confident, praising Hagi's balanced management style.

Czech referee Ondřej Berka, 38, will officiate the match, assisted by compatriots Matěj Vlček and Kamil Hájek, with Italian Michael Fabbri on VAR. Berka previously refereed Romania's 2-0 loss to Slovakia in March 2026. British outlet Sportsmole predicted a 3-1 home win, citing Romania's 18-month winless streak away from home.