Graham Potter appointed Sweden Head Coach after West Ham exit

Former West Ham manager Graham Potter has been named the new head coach of Sweden on a short-term deal, tasked with reviving their faltering World Cup qualification hopes.

The 50-year-old, who was dismissed by West Ham in September after a poor start to the Premier League season, returns to management with a national team he knows well.

Potter made his name in Sweden with Ostersund, guiding them from the fourth tier to the top flight and winning the Svenska Cupen in 2017.

“I’m incredibly humbled by this opportunity, but also hugely inspired,” said Potter. “Sweden has fantastic players competing in the world’s top leagues.

My job is to create the conditions for us to perform at the highest level and reach the World Cup next summer.”

Sweden have been without a head coach since Jon Dahl Tomasson was sacked following a 1-0 defeat to Kosovo on 13 October—a result that ended their hopes of automatic qualification.

However, they remain in contention for the play-offs thanks to their group-topping performance in the 2024–25 Nations League.

Potter was let go by West Ham after losing five of their first six games in the 2025–26 campaign, leaving the club in the bottom three. He had managed just six wins in 23 matches since taking over in January.

Despite his struggles in England, Potter's reputation in Sweden remains strong due to his remarkable achievements with Ostersund.

He previously enjoyed successful stints at Swansea City and Brighton before a brief tenure at Chelsea in 2022.