Norway enters the 2026 World Cup as arguably the most intriguing team in the entire tournament, with unbelievable offensive potential but a relatively unproven squad on the international stage. Here’s a full preview of the Norwegian national team, including predictions, betting odds, key players and more.
World Cup History
- Four appearances
- Best finish: Round of 16
- FIFA Rank: #31
- 2026 Group: I
The Norwegians return to the World Cup for the first time since 1998. Their best finishes came with Round of 16 runs in 1938 and 1998. This generation changes the expectations because Norway now has two of the biggest attacking names in European football.
Group Stage Matches
- Norway vs. Iraq: June 16, 6:00PM ET
- Norway vs. Senegal: June 22, 8:00PM ET
- Norway vs. France: June 26, 3:00PM ET
Major Storylines, Predictions
Norway has arguably the greatest goalscorer of all-time in Erling Haaland and playmaking mastermind Martin Ødegaard. Their game against Senegal may be one of the most important group-stage swing matches. If Norway can defend well enough behind its attack, this could be their best World Cup team in decades.
Soccer Analyst’s Prediction: Norway will likely be the most entertaining team to watch in this field, and if they can somehow reach the Round of 16, Erling Haaland could have a shot at setting the single-tournament goal record. They could win advance and win one Knockout Stage game, but anything past that seems highly improbable.
Norway 2026 World Cup Squad
Key Players
- Erling Haaland | Forward | Manchester City
- Martin Ødegaard | Midfielder | Arsenal
- Alexander Sørloth| Forward | Atlético Madrid
- Antonio Nusa | Winger | RB Leipzig
Norway 2026 World Cup Odds
- To Win The World Cup: +3000
- Projected Top Goalscorer: Erling Haaland (-280)
- To Win Group I: +275
Find all of the Norway World Cup 2026 lines on DraftKings Sportsbook!
More World Cup Coverage
Check out our World Cup 2026 landing page for additional content and live, updating group tables as the tournament begins!
