Britt-Marie is a 63-year-old housewife with a penchant for strict routines, list-making, and cleaning with baking soda. After leaving her husband of four decades, she takes a temporary caretaker position in the declining village of Borg. Socially isolated by her former life, she approaches her new environment with a rigid worldview but possesses a strong underlying desire to be useful. She reluctantly steps into the role of youth soccer coach despite having no knowledge of the sport.

Somebody is the brash, friendly proprietress of Borg's combined pizzeria, post office, general store, and health center. She uses a wheelchair and keeps her business afloat through the slightly illegal procurement of goods. She acts as Britt-Marie's primary guide to the town, offering unsolicited advice, car repairs, and a stabilizing presence.

Sami is Vega and Omar's older brother and the current head of their household. He is a young man struggling to raise his siblings under the shadow of a criminal record and severe unemployment. Highly dedicated to order and cleanliness, he bonds with Britt-Marie over their shared domestic habits and advises her on coaching the youth soccer team.

Kent is Britt-Marie's estranged husband, a wealthy entrepreneur who values outward appearances and financial success. He frequently condescends to those he views as beneath him and actively belittles Britt-Marie's capabilities. He arrives in Borg determined to win his wife back, treating the village and its residents with blatant contempt.

Vega is a teenage soccer prodigy and the unofficial leader of the Borg youth team. She works at the local pizzeria and protects her younger brother Omar. Although initially wary of outsiders, she is fiercely loyal to her team and refuses to join a better-funded league in the neighboring town.

Omar is Vega's younger brother and a member of the Borg youth soccer team. Blunt, opportunistic, and friendly, he is always looking to make a deal and harbors dreams of becoming a successful entrepreneur. He idolizes wealthy, confident figures and encourages the romantic overtures directed at his new coach.

Magnus, commonly known as Psycho, is Sami's childhood best friend with a terrifying reputation in Borg. He protected Sami and his siblings from their abusive father in the past, earning Sami's unwavering loyalty. Currently unemployed and deeply in debt, he turns to petty crime and delinquency to survive his financial desperation.

Sven is the local police officer in Borg who takes an immediate liking to Britt-Marie. He is content with his modest salary and small-town life, regularly engaging in community matters and keeping an eye out for the local youth. He provides Britt-Marie with housing connections and gentle encouragement as she adjusts to the village.

Bank is a visually impaired woman with a chronic knee injury who rents a room to Britt-Marie. A former youth soccer star and daughter of Borg's late coach, she is grumpy, heavily relies on her dog, and initially views the current youth team as a lost cause. She resents her physical limitations but maintains a tough, protective attitude over her property.

Fredrik is the former trucking company boss who laid off a majority of Borg's residents during the financial crisis. He lives in a neighboring, wealthier town and forces his son to play hockey instead of soccer as a display of status, drawing resentment from the blue-collar workers he fired.

Max is Fredrik's self-conscious son who prefers the run-down village of Borg over his own wealthier neighborhood. Despite his father's insistence on expensive hockey leagues, Max deeply loves soccer and seeks acceptance from the Borg youth team.

Ben, initially nicknamed Pirate by the team due to his father's tax evasion, is a dedicated youth soccer player. He is comfortably openly gay among his peers and relies heavily on soccer to maintain a connection to his incarcerated father, sneaking out to get his permission slips signed.

The local unemployment office case worker is a busy professional who secures Britt-Marie's position at the Borg recreation center. She becomes an unexpected confidant, fielding frantic phone calls from Britt-Marie regarding pest control, list-making, and personal crises.

Ben's mother is a hardworking nurse at the Borg hospital. She works triple shifts to support her family after her husband's incarceration for tax evasion, and she expresses deep gratitude to Britt-Marie for treating her son well.

A large rodent inhabiting the Borg recreation center. Britt-Marie establishes a formal pact with the animal, leaving it a daily Snickers bar in exchange for a mutual guarantee that neither will die unnoticed in the empty building.