April 27, 2026 – 1:16 p.mReading time: 3 minutes
Norway has finally made it to a World Cup again. The celebration in the country knows no bounds – and hopes for a successful tournament are high.
Finally. Many Norwegians probably thought that in November 2025. Finally back at a World Cup – after 28 years of waiting. Even King Harald V as well as Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit didn’t miss the opportunity to celebrate in the Oslo stadium at the last home game in the World Cup qualification against Estonia (4-1).
It was the victory that made everything perfect. At the end of a perfect qualification (eight games, eight wins, 37:5 goals), there was even a 4-1 win in Milan against Italy, who started as favorites but will only watch the World Cup from their couch. This performance by the Norwegians left an impression around the world – and made the Scandinavians a secret favorite for some experts and fans.
“If we qualified for the World Cup, it would be as if a big football nation were to win it,” said super striker Erling Haaland in the summer of 2025 and announced a huge party just in case. He should be right.
Norway won European qualifying Group I with eight wins from eight games. The opponents were Italy, Israel, Estonia and the Republic of Moldova. The Norwegians scored 37 goals and had the best offense in the group. In the end there were 16 more goals scored than Italy in second place. Goal scorer Erling Haaland scored in every game. The Manchester City attacker contributed 16 goals to achieving their World Cup dream.
Norway plays in Group I against France, Senegal and Iraq.
France – Considered the group’s favorite. The duel against the French is the structural acid test of the group stage for Norway. The starting position is clear: France brings higher individual quality and more tournament experience. Norway’s chances lie in the team’s own strong offense, while in defense they have to defend compactly.
Senegal – The duel with Senegal is much more open for Norway than against France. Both teams rely less on long ball circulation and more on direct actions. Physical presence in duels will be crucial.
Iraq – The game against Iraq should be the clearest duel for the Norwegians, a win is mandatory here. Structurally, everything speaks in favor of the Scandinavians: more individual quality, clearer processes in attack and greater efficiency in the penalty area. What will still be crucial is how Norway deals with a low-lying opponent.
