World Cup 2026 · Group I
NorwayFixtures, Analysis & Squad
Norway played the 2026 World Cup in Group I, alongside France, Senegal, and Iraq. They finished 2nd in the group and advanced to the round of 32. Below is our pre-tournament analysis, their group fixtures with match previews, and the squad that travelled.
Norway Tournament Outlook
Norway arrive at their first World Cup since 1998 carrying a perfect UEFA qualifying record and a genuine superstar in Erling Haaland — a combination that makes them the most intriguing second-tier contender at the tournament.
Squad Strengths and Key Players
The headline figure is Haaland's qualifying output: 16 goals in eight matches, equalling Robert Lewandowski's UEFA group-stage record, and in the process he became the fastest player in history to reach 50 international goals, doing so in 46 caps. His five-goal haul against Moldova and a brace at the San Siro to seal qualification against Italy on 16 November 2025 are not warm-up numbers — they are a statement of intent from the man around whom Ståle Solbakken's entire system is constructed.
Behind him, Martin Odegaard functions as the creative link between midfield and attack, now a Premier League title winner with Arsenal. Sander Berge anchors the midfield as the defensive platform, with Kristian Thorstvedt providing balance alongside him. On the flanks, Antonio Nusa (RB Leipzig) adds pace and directness — he scored the crucial equaliser at the San Siro on the qualifying-clinching night and again in the warm-up against Sweden. The attacking depth is also real: Jorgen Strand Larsen (Crystal Palace), deputising for the rested Haaland on 1 June 2026, scored twice as headers in a 3-1 win over Sweden to underline that Norway can threaten without their talisman.
Manager and Tactical Setup
Solbakken operates a 4-3-3 — sometimes morphing into a 4-2-2-2 with Odegaard dropped into a No. 10 role — built on high pressing, vertical transitions and full-backs advancing to create width. The system is unambiguously Haaland-centric: win the ball, play quickly, get the ball in behind. The qualifying body of work suggests a well-drilled pressing unit that can also manage possession, rather than a side that sits deep and relies on the counter alone.
Realistic Ceiling and Group Path
Group I is widely described as the tournament's toughest draw, pairing Norway with France, Senegal and Iraq. The path has logic to it: open against Iraq on 16 June in Foxborough, where three points are the minimum expectation, then face Senegal in East Rutherford and France back in Foxborough. A second-place finish behind France — if they can handle Senegal — would be a credible and realistic outcome. The Last 16 is the plausible ceiling given the group, with any deeper run contingent on both Haaland and Odegaard staying fit and sharp.
Norway's golden generation has finally delivered the World Cup qualification this squad deserved. The 28-year wait ends with a team that recorded 37 goals and five conceded in eight qualifying wins — numbers that reflect genuine quality rather than soft opposition; that 4-1 result at the San Siro counts for something. The realistic concern is whether a side that has not played at this level in nearly three decades can handle the step up against elite competition, and whether Odegaard's knee holds across three demanding group games. A Last 16 exit after winning the Iraq match and making the France game competitive would represent a solid tournament debut for this generation. A run deeper than that would require the sharpness from both star players that the qualifying record suggests is entirely possible — and this squad has earned the right to be taken seriously at that level.
Both Haaland and Odegaard were rested — not injured — for the 1 June Sweden friendly. Haaland had been managed carefully after a demanding Manchester City club season, and Solbakken described his condition as simply requiring rest rather than treatment. Odegaard's situation requires more monitoring: he battled a recurring knee problem through the 2025-26 Arsenal campaign, notably limping off against Sporting CP on 9 April. As of the research date (5 June 2026), he was named captain in the 26-man squad and was rested against Sweden as a precaution, but his match sharpness heading into the tournament remains a live watch. Reports suggest he was expected to feature in a final warm-up against Morocco on 7 June.
Group I Fixtures
Norway's three group games in kickoff order, each linked to the full preview published before the match.
Squad & Coach
The 26-man Norway squad ESPN lists for the tournament, grouped by position.
- Ørjan Nyland35 yrs
- Egil Selvik29 yrs
- Sander Tangvik23 yrs
- Marcus Holmgren Pedersen26 yrs
- Kristoffer Ajer28 yrs
- Julian Ryerson28 yrs
- Fredrik André Bjørkan28 yrs
- Torbjørn Heggem27 yrs
- Leo Østigard26 yrs
- Henrik Falchener23 yrs
- David Møller Wolfe24 yrs
- Sondre Langas25 yrs
- Morten Thorsby30 yrs
- Martin Ødegaard27 yrs
- Patrick Berg28 yrs
- Fredrik Aursnes30 yrs
- Sander Berge28 yrs
- Jens Petter Hauge26 yrs
- Kristian Thorstvedt27 yrs
- Oscar Bobb23 yrs
- Thelo Aasgaard24 yrs
- Antonio Nusa21 yrs
- Alexander Sørloth30 yrs
- Jørgen Strand Larsen26 yrs
- Erling Haaland26 yrs
- Andreas Schjelderup22 yrs
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