This article is part of The Guardian’s World Cup 2026 Expert Network, a cooperation between some of the best media organizations from the 48 countries that qualified. theguardian.com publishes previews from three countries each day in the run-up to the tournament which begins on June 11.
the plan
Ståle Solbakken’s journey to becoming Norway coach arguably began at the 1998 World Cup, when he sat as an unused substitute and shouted suggestions to coach Egil Olsen as Norway turned a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 victory against Brazil. Like his mentor Olsen, Solbakken has never been a naïve or particularly romantic manager. He is a product of the northern European school of football, where the result always has the greatest weight. Their style largely consists of tight zonal defense and aggressive attacking play focused on breaking down the lines – as effective football as possible.
Norway usually uses a 4-3-3 formation, but with a lot of flexibility. Antonio Nusa, a winger who loves to dribble, tends to stay wide on the left, while full-back Julian Ryerson pushes up as a right winger, making it look more like a 3-5-2. This allows strikers Erling Haaland and Alexander Sørloth to operate as close to the goal as possible. Solbakken has also tried a flatter 4-4-2 with varying degrees of success. The approach is pragmatic in the sense that Norway wants to maximize its X-factor players. This lies especially in the raw power of Haaland, as well as the passing ability and vision of the captain, Martin Ødegaard. If there is space available behind the opposition defence, Haaland will look to exploit it.
Quick guide
Norway: Group I matches
Show
June 16 v Iraq, Boston (6pm local, 11pm BST, June 17 at 8am AEST)
June 22 v Senegal, New York/New Jersey (8 pm local, June 23 at 1 am BST, June 23 at 10 am AEST)
June 26 v France, Boston (3pm local, 8pm BST, June 27 at 5am AEST)
Norway has significantly developed its style of play over the last year. During qualifying for Euro 2024, on-ball defenders were scarce in the team, but with left-footed Torbjørn Heggem alongside Kristoffer Ajer, this area has improved. Norway’s three matches in the group stage are likely to be very different. Expect them to try to dominate against Iraq, play smart and varied against Senegal and sit further back against France, relying heavily on counterattacks and set pieces.
the coach
Ståle Solbakken He was a Copenhagen player in 2001 when he suffered a heart attack and collapsed during training. When the ambulance arrived, he had been clinically dead for seven minutes. He woke up in the hospital and his football career was over. In 24 of the 25 years since his forced retirement, he has been a manager, coaching clubs such as Wolves, Cologne and Copenhagen. In 2020, Solbakken, who earned 58 caps for his country, took charge of the national team. After failing to qualify for the Euros two years ago, he led Norway to its first major tournament since Euro 2000. “I don’t think I’ll have better nights than this in my life. It’s almost surreal,” Solbakken said after his team topped their qualifying group.
star player
Erling Haaland should prove a terrifying proposition for defenders in this World Cup. Going up against the Manchester City striker tests your physical and mental stamina. If you give him time or space, you will probably be punished. For 92 years, Jørgen Juve held the record for most goals for Norway. His score of 33 seemed impossible to beat. None of Ole Gunnar Solskjær, Tore André Flo or John Carew came close. Then Haaland burst onto the scene, surpassing Juve at the age of 24 when he scored his 34th goal in his 36th appearance. Can a Haaland-inspired Norway surprise the football world this summer? When you have Erling Braut Haaland at the helm, anything is possible.
one to watch
Antonio Nusa He has idolized Neymar throughout his career and there are some similarities between the two. Like the Brazilian great, Christianity is very important to Nusa, while on the pitch the winger is capable of eliciting a gasp from the fans when he receives the ball and runs forward. But unlike Neymar, Nusa has never generated controversy. “I always point to God when I score and when I go out on the field. I thank God that I can experience this,” he told the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten in 2023. Just before the World Cup, Nusa published his own book: a manual for children who dream of becoming top-level footballers. Of course, not everyone who reads it will become a professional, but if you follow Nusa’s advice, at least you will learn how to become a good person. The 21-year-old has been at RB Leipzig since 2024.
unsung hero
Sander Berge provides vital balance for Norway behind their talented front line. The Fulham midfielder offers composure on the ball and ability to cover space, crucial attributes for Solbakken’s team. His importance was evident before a crucial qualifying match against Estonia in June 2025, when Berge became a father for the first time. Norway was preparing to play without him but the Norwegian federation intervened to pay for a private plane to take him to Tallinn. Norway won the match and Berge was one of the best players on the field. At the time of writing he has only scored one international goal and rarely makes the headlines, but his value to the national team is almost immeasurable.
Probable starting eleven
What to expect from fans at games?
You will hear the chant “Row! Row! Row!” from fans during Norway matches, as fans row to the beat in the stands in reference to the Vikings who rowed across the Atlantic to the United States. Norway has a lively group of fans traveling to the United States for its first World Cup since 1998. The Norwegian federation estimates the number of fans traveling to North America to be between 7,000 and 10,000 for the group stage. Don’t be surprised if you see hundreds of Viking helmets on the streets and in the stands.
Relationship with the United States/Trump?
“I firmly believe that Norway controls who receives the Nobel Peace Prize. I have lost a lot of respect for Norway. I have ended eight wars.” That’s what Donald Trump said earlier this year. Fortunately for Trump, his good friend Gianni Infantino and FIFA created their own peace prize, and Trump was announced as the surprise winner. Norwegian football president Lise Klaveness was one of many who expressed discontent, saying: “We want this award to be abolished. We do not believe it is part of FIFA’s mandate to award such an award.”
Written by Simen Stamsø-Møller and Vegard Bjelland for TV 2 Norway.
