This weekend, the 2024 competition season gets under way.
FotbollDirekt has asked experts to predict the outcome of the Swedish Cup.
This is how Erik Edman, Jonas Dahlqvist, Karin Frick and Tommy Åström tip the groups.
This weekend, the 2024 Swedish Cup kicks off and the first matches will be played at 1pm on Saturday. Several of the groups are welcoming to say the least. Perhaps mainly group 2 with Örgryte IS, Gais and Elfsborg – or group 4 with both Djurgården and AIK.
Before the premiere, FotbollDirekt has therefore asked three experts to predict how all the groups will finish – and who will be the final winner after the final on May 9.
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Erik Edman, expert and former player:
Group 1
1. Malmö FF
2. Varberg’s Bois
3. Östers IF
4. IFK Luleå
Group 2
1. IF Elfsborg
2. Application
3. Degerfors IF
4. Ear stew IS
Group 3
1. BK Hecken
2. IF Brommapojkarna
3. Landskrona Bois
4. Östersunds FK
Group 4
1. Djurgården IF
2. IFK Gothenburg
3. Skövde AIK
4. Nordic United FC
Group 5
1. IFK Värnamo
2. Halmstads BK
3. Helsingborgs IF
4. Trelleborgs FF
Group 6
1. Kalmar FF
2. AIK
3. Örebro SK
4. Gefle IF
Group 7:
1. Mjällby AIF
2. Hammarby IF
3. Västerås SK
4. Gif Sundsvall
Group 8:
1. ME Sirius
2. IFK Norrköping
3. I Brage
4. Utsiktens BK
Comment: – The only upset I believe in is Mjällby, who meet Hammarby on Tele2 in the last round and who I think can secure first place in the group. Norrköping has a tough year ahead of it and Sirius can squeeze the place in group 8.
– Being able to play at home in the quarter-finals is an extremely important advantage to be able to go all the way, and today I can’t see anything other than MFF taking home the cup, many of the main competitors have had to rebuild a lot and have a good a little way to go before they can disturb the Skåne people, says Erik Edman.
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Jonas Dahlqvist, commentator Discovery+:
Group 1
1. Malmö FF
2. Östers IF
3. Varberg’s Bois
4. IFK Luleå
Group 2
1. IF Elfsborg
2. Ear stew IS
3. Application
4. Degerfors IF
Group 3
1. BK Hecken
2. IF Brommapojkarna
3. Östersunds FK
4. Landskrona Bois
Group 4
1. IFK Gothenburg
2. Djurgården IF
3. Skövde AIK
4. Nordic United FC
Group 5
1. IFK Värnamo
2. Halmstads BK
3. Helsingborgs IF
4. Trelleborgs FF
Group 6
1. AIK
2. Örebro SK
3. Kalmar FF
4. Gefle IF
Group 7
1. Hammarby IF
2. Mjällby AIF
3. Gif Sundsvall
4. Västerås SK
Group 8
1. IFK Norrköping
2. ME Sirius
3. I Brage
4. Utsiktens BK
Comment: – I think that it will look like the last few years – some minor scandals here and there, but still extremely difficult for, for example, the super one teams to progress. It could be even in the groups between AIK and Kalmar, Värnamo and Halmstad and Blåvitt and Djurgården. The group with Norrköping and Sirius also feels open.
– The most reasonable thing is that MFF wins, but I have AIK as an outsider, says Jonas Dahlqvist.
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Karin Frick, program manager Discovery+:
Group 1
1. Malmö FF
2. Östers IF
3. Varberg’s Bois
4. IFK Luleå
Group 2
1. IF Elfsborg
2. Application
3. Degerfors IF
4. Ear stew IS
Group 3
1. BK Hecken
2. IF Brommapojkarna
3. Landskrona Bois
4. Östersunds FK
Group 4
1. Djurgården IF
2. IFK Gothenburg
3. Nordic United FC
4. Skövde AIK
Group 5
1. Halmstads BK
2. IFK Värnamo
3. Trelleborgs FF
4. Helsingborgs IF
Group 6
1. Kalmar FF
2. AIK
3. Örebro SK
4. Gefle IF
Group 7
1. Hammarby IF
2. Västerås SK
3. Mjällby AIF
4. Gif Sundsvall
Group 8
1. IFK Norrköping
2. ME Sirius
3. Utsiktens BK
4. I Brage
Comment: – Always difficult with shells. And what is a bang? You have to put it in relation to the team. I don’t see any giants, but if I have to say something, I’ll say Västerås. No one believes them, but what can they do as a continuation of their fine last year in the top flight? Tough group and tough start against Hammarby, but if there’s ever a time you have to play against expected top teams, maybe it’s now at the beginning of the year.
– I think Elfsborg will win, says Karin Frick.
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Tommy Åström, program manager Discovery+:
Group 1
1) Malmö FF
2) Eastern IF
3) Varberg’s Bois
4) IFK Luleå
Group 2
1) IF Elfsborg
2) Application
3) Degerfors IF
4) Ear stew IS
Group 3
1. IF Brommapojkarna
2. BK Hecken
3. Östersunds FK
4. Landskrona Bois
Group 4
1. Djurgården IF
2. Skövde AIK
3. IFK Gothenburg
4. Nordic United FC
Group 5
1. IFK Värnamo
2. Halmstads BK
3. Helsingborgs IF
4. Trelleborgs FF
Group 6
1. Kalmar FF
2. AIK
3. Örebro SK
4. Gefle IF
Group 7
1. Hammarby IF
2. Västerås SK
3. Mjällby AIF
4. Gif Sundsvall
Group 8
1. IFK Norrköping
2. ME Sirius
3. Utsiktens BK
4. I Brage
Comment: – I think that the teams that everyday play on artificial grass and that are adapted to that surface will have certain advantages during the cup game where the matches are mainly played on artificial grass. In addition, there is the aspect that some teams get more home games than others.
– I put Hammarby and Djurgården as gold favorites in the Swedish Cup in 2024. Partly because they are strong on artificial grass and partly because they will go “all in” to get a European place as they failed in their respective goals of being top three in Allsvenskan 2023, says Tommy Åström.
