Norway vs France: Mbappe and Haaland in 2026 World Cup Duel

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Norway will face France in the final Group I match of the 2026 World Cup at Boston Stadium in Foxborough on Saturday morning, June 27, 2026, at 02:00 Jakarta time. Although both sides have already secured their spots in the Round of 16, they will compete to claim the top seed in the group.

Norway enters the clash with a flawless record after clinching victories in their opening two matches. Under the guidance of Stale Solbakken, the team kicked off their campaign with a resounding 4-1 triumph over Iraq. Manchester City striker Erling Haaland took center stage with two goals.

In their second outing, Norway again clinched a victory by edging past Senegal in a 3-2 thriller. The result took their tally to six points, safely booking their ticket to the knockout phase.

Despite being level on points with France, Norway currently sits second in the standings owing to a lesser goal difference. Consequently, they require nothing short of a victory in this final fixture to usurp the top spot in Group I.

Norway is also determined to break a poor run against France. The last time they bested Les Bleus was a 2-1 friendly victory at Ullevaal Stadium back in August 2010, through two goals by Erik Huseklepp.

On the other side of the pitch, France has once again validated their status as a formidable title contenders. Under the management of Didier Deschamps, the squad commenced their tournament with a 3-1 victory over Senegal. Kylian Mbappe spearheaded the attack with two goals, while Bradley Barcola chipped in with another.

Les Bleus then sustained their momentum by defeating Iraq with a 3-0 win. Mbappe found the back of the net early on before France added two unanswered goals in the second half to cement their second consecutive victory.

As it stands, France tops the Group I standings by virtue of their superior goal difference. They only need a draw against Norway to maintain their pole position and advance to the Round of 16 as group champions.

Even though a solitary point would suffice, France is expected to push for a victory to complete a clean sweep of the group stage. The last time they achieved a perfect record in a World Cup group stage was during their historic 1998 campaign, which eventually winning the title for the first time.

Current Team Status

Norway is highly likely to be short-handed in defense without Julian Ryerson for the clash against France. According to Sportsmole, the Borussia Dortmund fullback sustained an injury and was forced off after playing just 13 minutes against Senegal. Should Ryerson be ruled out, Marcus Pedersen is slated to step into the backline as his replacement.

In the attacking line, all eyes will once again be pinned on Erling Haaland. The Manchester City talisman has already racked up four goals in the first two games, making him one of the leading top scorers at the 2026 World Cup. Haaland remains a key figure in Norway's offensive lineup against one of the favorites for the title.

Meanwhile, French coach Didier Deschamps still has several options in his forward line. Paris Saint-Germain starlets Bradley Barcola and Desire Doue have each made just a single appearance in the group stage so far. However, Doue’s performance against Iraq left something to be desired and was not entirely convincing.

Competition also exists in the midfield and left-back positions. Manu Kone and Lucas Digne both performed well when handed starting roles against Iraq. Their strong outings have cast doubt on whether Aurelien Tchouameni and Theo Hernandez will immediately reclaim their spots in the starting eleven.

Up front, Kylian Mbappe remains France’s ultimate weapon. The Les Bleus captain has already registered four goals in his first two outings, placing him right at the apex of the tournament's scoring charts. He also has the chance to further swell his tally as he edges closer to Lionel Messi’s historic record as the World Cup's all-time top scorer.

Head-to-Head

• Norway and France have crossed paths 15 times in their history. According to Sportskeeda, France holds the upper hand in the rivalry with seven victories. Norway has tasted victory against France four times, while the remaining four encounters ended in draws.

• Their last encounter dates back to May 2014. France comfortably dispatched Norway 4-0 at the Stade de France. Olivier Giroud scored two goals, with Paul Pogba and Loic Remy adding the other goals.

• This match will be a sharp duel between Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe and Manchester City's Erling Haaland. Mbappe was the top scorer in the 2024-25 and 2025-26 La Liga seasons and won the Pichichi Trophy. Haaland is a goal machine who has won three Golden Boots in the last four Premier League seasons.

Expected Lineups

Norway: Orjan Nyland (goalkeeper); Marcus Pedersen, Kristoffer Ajer, Lysaker Heggem, David Moller Wolfe; Sander Berge, Fredrik Aursnes, Martin Odegaard; Alexander Sorloth, Erling Haaland, Antonio Nusa.

France: Mike Maignan (goalkeeper); Jules Kounde, Dayot Upamecano, William Saliba, Lucas Digne; Aurelien Tchouameni, Adrien Rabiot; Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue; Kylian Mbappe.

Prediction

With both Norway and France kicking off their 2026 World Cup campaigns with back-to-back victories, this encounter is bound to be a highly contested affair. Both teams also have productive attacking lines. However, France is slightly favored due to their squad depth and impressive performances throughout the group stage.

Read: 2026 World Cup Standings: Ecuador, Ivory Coast Advance to Knockouts

Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News

Norway to Ban AI Use for Elementary School Students

1 hari lalu

Norway vs Senegal World Cup Lineups: A Battle of the Strikers

3 hari lalu

Erling Haaland's World Cup Jersey Says Braut Haaland: Here's Why

9 hari lalu

Erling Haaland Leads Norway to 4-1 Win Against Iraq in World Cup Opener

9 hari lalu

2026 World Cup Iraq vs Norway Lineups: Aymen Hussein, Erling Haaland Face Off

9 hari lalu

Norway: Crown Princess's Son Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison

10 hari lalu

Norway Reveal World Cup Squad: Haaland, Odegaard Lead the Charge

34 hari lalu

What Does Norway's Cancelled Missile Export License Mean for Malaysia?

42 hari lalu

Norwegian Princess Says She Was 'Manipulated' by Epstein

20 Maret 2026

Explosion Hits Near US Embassy in Norway, No Injuries

8 Maret 2026