More than 50,000 fans turned up on a chilly October night and many booed Sweden's Danish coach Jon Dahl Tomasson before the game, with a banner unveiled after the loss to the Swiss calling for him to resign.

Switzerland tops the group with a perfect nine points from its opening three games, with Kosovo second on four points and Slovenia third on two after those two teams played out a 0-0 draw in Pristina.

The Swedes are bottom with one point.

The writing was on the wall from the fourth minute when Switzerland striker Breel Embolo hit the far post with a fourth-minute header from a corner as Sweden was outplayed throughout, spurning the few chances it managed to fashion.

Striker Alexander Isak struck the foot of the post for the hosts in the 26th before teeing up Lucas Bergvall for their best chance of the game, but the 19-year-old somehow managed to get the ball caught under his feet with the goal at his mercy.

That move proved costly when the Swiss took the lead in the 65th minute after Alexander Bernhardsson sent Djibril Sow sprawling in the box with a push in the back, and Xhaka blasted the resulting penalty straight down the middle.

Bergvall had a chance to redeem himself in the 85th but this time he blazed his shot wide before being substituted, cutting a forlorn figure as he made his way back to the bench.

A frustrating night for the Swedes was made worse when Switzerland substitute Johan Manzabi's tame effort was deflected past goalkeeper Viktor Johansson in second-half stoppage-time, condemning them to a second defeat in three games that leaves their qualifying chances in tatters.

Despite little to suggest his side can reach the 2026 finals, Tomasson remained defiant.

"That was not a knockout. No, not at all," he said.

"We have Slovenia and Kosovo, who drew. I said in the beginning when we saw this draw, this pool can [all] lose and win against each other. So that means if we win against Kosovo, we'll be probably second."

The group winner qualifies directly for the FIFA World Cup finals, with the runner-up going into the play-offs.

The Swedes host Kosovo, who beat them 2-0 in Pristina last month, on Tuesday (AEDT) when Slovenia welcomes the Swiss.