Norway will play Iraq in their opening match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on June 16, 2026, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The match is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET with live TV coverage on FOX and Telemundo, and streaming available on Fubo [1, 2].
This marks Norway’s return to the World Cup after a 28-year absence, their last appearance being in 1998. Norway qualified for the tournament by topping their group and eliminating Italy, a four-time World Cup champion, during the qualifiers [2]. Their 1994 World Cup team had been eliminated in the group stage despite strong qualifying performances [1].
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland will make his World Cup debut this year as Norway’s all-time leading scorer with 55 goals in 50 international appearances. Haaland scored an impressive 16 goals in 8 World Cup qualifying games and became the fastest international player to reach 50 goals in just 46 matches [2].
Norway’s head coach Ståle Solbakken expressed confidence in Haaland’s impact: "Hopefully he will have a very big impact. He is our goalscorer. I think he is the world's best goalscorer. Physically he is fit. He was given a little break towards the end of the season, one game by Man City and one game by me. I think gradually he has played better and better in training here. I think he is very much wanting to be in this opportunity. Hopefully we can continue to give him chances. And if you give him chances, he has a tendency to score" [2].
Betting markets heavily favor Norway to win the opening match, with odds at -508 compared to Iraq’s +1283 [2].
The World Cup opening match marks a major moment for Norway as they seek to build on their strong qualifying campaign and historic return to the tournament stage.
