Norway

Norway's World Cup story is one of long silences broken by unforgettable bursts. They were early pioneers of the tournament in its pre-war years, then re-emerged in the 1990s with a famously organised, hard-running side that gave some of the game's superpowers genuinely sleepless nights. Since that golden spell faded around the turn of the millennium, the tournament has gone on without them — which is exactly what makes 2026 feel so charged for Norwegian fans.

This time they arrive not as plucky outsiders but as one of Europe's most watchable teams, built around a generation of genuinely elite attacking talent. Group I is a beautifully balanced test: France bring tournament pedigree as deep as anyone's, Senegal carry the pace, power and belief of African football's modern standard-bearers, and Iraq arrive as the kind of motivated outsider that punishes any complacency. Three completely different footballing cultures, one group — it is the sort of draw the 48-team format was made for.

Norway open against Iraq — 16 Jun 2026, 18:00 local at Gillette Stadium, Boston, a match they will be expected to take control of early. Then comes Senegal — 22 Jun 2026, 20:00 local at MetLife Stadium, New York/New Jersey (listed home), likely the pivotal fixture for second place, before the headline act: France — 26 Jun 2026, 15:00 local at Gillette Stadium, Boston (listed home). Under the new format, the top two in the group plus the eight best third-placed teams reach the Round of 32, so even a single win and a gutsy draw could keep Norwegian hopes alive deep into the final matchday.

For a footballing nation that has waited the better part of three decades to hear its anthem at this tournament again, every minute in Boston and New Jersey will feel like found time. The blueprint is simple: start fast against Iraq, go toe-to-toe with Senegal, and arrive at the France game with something real to play for. If this generation delivers on its promise, Norway could be one of the stories of the summer.