Norway returns to World Cup after 28-year absence against Iraq

Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard arrived with Norway carrying more than a squad full of promise. The opener against Iraq in Boston on June 16, 2026, marked Norway’s return to the World Cup after 28 years, turning a long-awaited comeback into a pressure test for a generation expected to deliver far more than a routine appearance.

Norway reached its fourth World Cup after a perfect qualifying run that underscored the scale of its ambition. The Norwegians won all eight of their European qualifiers and scored 37 goals, eight more than any other side in the group. Haaland was the decisive force throughout the campaign, finishing with 16 goals in eight matches and scoring in every qualifier, a run that made him the leading scorer in European qualifying.

That production has raised the stakes around Norway’s national team. Haaland has been a dominant figure for Manchester City, while Odegaard has long been the creative center of Arsenal, and Norway now need that club-level authority to translate into tournament results. With Alexander Sorloth also in the squad, Ståle Solbakken entered the tournament with a strikingly experienced attacking core, but the real question remained whether Norway could turn individual quality into collective traction against stronger international opposition.

The return mattered because Norway had not played in a World Cup since France 1998. That tournament remains the country’s best benchmark. Norway reached the round of 16, beat Brazil in the group stage and then fell to Italy in the knockout round. Nearly three decades later, the prospect of another deep run carries symbolic weight as much as competitive value, offering a chance to reset a national narrative that has lingered since that last appearance.

Solbakken framed the comeback as a chance to build something new for a supporter base that had waited nearly 30 years to see Norway back on the sport’s biggest stage. A strong start against Iraq would not decide the tournament, but it would immediately test whether Haaland and Odegaard can carry the same command into national-team football and give Norway the kind of opening that can fuel a breakout World Cup story.