When the 2026 World Cup draw was made, this was the fixture that immediately lit up every fan’s imagination — Erling Haaland vs Kylian Mbappé, the two most talked-about forwards on the planet, meeting for the first time at a World Cup. Both nations have already qualified for the Round of 32 with perfect records, making this a battle for first place and a better knockout bracket path. The drama is elevated further by a bombshell team news development: Norway have named Haaland and Ødegaard among their substitutes, while France play the match under assistant coach Guy Stéphan following the heartbreaking death of Didier Deschamps’ mother.
Match Details — Norway vs France
Match: Norway vs France Competition: FIFA World Cup 2026 — Group I Date: Friday, 26 June 2026 Time: 20:00 BST / 3:00 PM ET / 00:30 IST (Saturday) / Local: 3:00 PM ET (Foxborough) Venue: Gillette Stadium (Boston Stadium), Foxborough, Massachusetts
FIFA World Cup 2026 Live Streaming Info
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, running from 11 June to 19 July 2026, featuring 48 teams across 104 matches.
Live Streaming Info:
Will be live on Bein Sports 5
Live Score Info:
Norway vs France FIFA World Cup 2026: All matches on FlashScore have live scores.
Live Streaming by Region:
United States: FOX carries English-language coverage, with Telemundo and FOX One providing Spanish commentary. FOXSports.com and the FOX app stream live with a cable login. Paid alternatives include Fubo TV, YouTube TV, Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, and DirecTV Stream.
UK & Ireland: BBC iPlayer and ITVX stream all matches completely free with a valid TV licence.
Australia: SBS On Demand carries all 104 matches live and completely free with no login required.
Canada: TSN airs the full tournament; CTV covers prime-time matches free of charge.
Middle East: BeIN Sports carries live regional coverage.
Live Scores: All matches available on FlashScore with real-time updates.
Group I Standings (Heading Into Matchday 3)
France sit first in Group I with six points and a +5 goal difference, while Norway are second with six points and a +4 goal difference. Both national teams have won their opening two matches, meaning neither side can fall out of the top two positions regardless of the outcome. Senegal and Iraq are fighting separately for third place, but they cannot catch either France or Norway.
The crucial maths: a draw would also send France into first place because their superior goal difference gives them the advantage. The two teams would both finish with seven points, but France’s +5 goal difference would keep them ahead of Norway’s +4. If Norway defeats France, the Vikings will jump to first place in Group I with nine points, forcing France into second.
Key Storylines
The bombshell team news — Haaland and Ødegaard start on the bench: With both Norway and France already mathematically qualified for the Round of 32 after securing consecutive opening wins, Norway manager Ståle Solbakken has elected to ring the changes, opting to name global superstars Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard among the substitutes. The decision has stunned fans worldwide — this was supposed to be the Haaland vs Mbappé showdown of the group stage.
Deschamps absent — France play for their manager: Les Bleus’ preparations for this game have been affected by the departure of head coach Didier Deschamps from training camp. The French Football Federation said Deschamps learned of his mother’s death on Tuesday morning and he is returning to France to attend her funeral. “At this incredibly painful time, we wish the head coach great strength and assure him of everyone’s support,” the FFF said. I think Les Bleus will be especially motivated to win this match for their coach, who is grieving the loss of his mother and has temporarily returned to France.
The Golden Boot race: Kylian Mbappé has 2 goals in each of France’s matches so far, with 12 total shots and 7 shots on target. Mbappé’s 2.01 goals per 90 minutes and 3.5 shots on target per 90 minutes both rank third among all players. Haaland, meanwhile, made it 59 goals in 52 Norway appearances with a double against Senegal. Both were level on four goals before the confirmed team news — Haaland’s absence from the start changes the race’s complexion entirely.
Norway’s historic World Cup return: Playing in their fourth tournament finals and first in the previous 28 years, Norway have given a great account of themselves so far in the World Cup group stages. Qualification alone is already a national moment, but beating France to top the group would take the story somewhere else entirely. It would tell the rest of the tournament that Norway are not just a Haaland-led curiosity — they are a serious problem.
Saliba ruled out for France: Assistant coach Guy Stéphan has confirmed William Saliba is out of this one after missing training, with Maxence Lacroix expected to come in. Striker Marcus Thuram also sat out the session.
Team Analyses
Norway
Recent performances: In the opening round of fixtures, Norway produced a ruthless display of attacking football, with Manchester City’s Erling Haaland netting a brace to beat Iraq 4-1 and propel his team to the summit of Group I. That progression was then confirmed on Tuesday in their second game, as Ståle Solbakken’s men kept Senegal at arm’s length to post a 3-2 victory and make it six points from their two matches.
Strengths: Norway’s xG per shot of 0.19 leads all nations after the first two matchdays, as they have bagged seven goals from just 25 attempts. Much of that is driven by Haaland, whose 0.27 xG per shot leads all players with at least five shots at World Cup 2026. Even without Haaland starting, the squad has shown it can create and convert quality chances.
Weaknesses: Solbakken has his team playing attractive, front-footed soccer, even if question marks remain over defensive frailties against elite opponents. Norway have conceded in both group matches, and against France’s devastating forward line, those gaps at the back could prove very costly.
Key players: Out wide, Oscar Bobb and Andreas Schjelderup will support Crystal Palace striker Jørgen Strand Larsen, who leads the line while Haaland rests. Bobb’s dribbling and Strand Larsen’s hold-up play will be Norway’s primary attacking outlets in the first half. And when Haaland and Ødegaard come off the bench, the entire dynamic of the match could change in an instant.
Expected tactical approach: Norway, even rotated, will try to stay compact and hit on the counter, with Bobb’s dribbling and Strand Larsen’s hold-up play the main outlets. Norway can score — and their pace in transition makes any Norwegian push genuinely dangerous even against France’s quality defenders.
France
Recent performances: France are in devastating form as Deschamps releases the handbrake during his final tournament at the helm. Six goals in two group stage games speaks volumes, while the 2018 champions have managed 11 wins from the past 13 matches. Most teams will find France just too powerful this summer.
Strengths: France have cruised through, scoring six and conceding one, and the attacking options are frightening. They have the personnel to break any block, and their pace in transition makes any Norwegian push doubly dangerous. The squad’s depth is extraordinary — even with Saliba and Thuram absent, the starting XI is loaded with world-class talent.
Weaknesses: The emotional disruption caused by Deschamps’ absence is an intangible factor that cannot be ignored. Assistant Guy Stéphan is highly experienced, but the loss of their manager’s presence in such a high-profile fixture introduces an unusual psychological dynamic.
Key players: France talisman Kylian Mbappé starts from the opening whistle to spearhead Les Bleus’ attack. Michael Olise handles the central playmaker duties, flanked by Ousmane Dembélé and PSG prodigy Désiré Doué, while Aurélien Tchouaméni wears the captain’s armband in midfield, partnering with Manu Koné to form a robust double-pivot shield.
Expected tactical approach: France will dominate the ball and let Olise, Dembélé and Doué rotate between the lines around Mbappé, with Koné and Tchouaméni screening behind. The question is less whether France score than how many. With a draw enough to clinch top spot, Stéphan may set up with a degree of defensive solidity, but France’s natural instinct is to attack.
Confirmed Starting Lineups
Norway (4-3-3): Egil Selvik; Leo Østigård, Fredrik André Bjørkan, Henrik Falchener; Patrick Berg, Fredrik Aursnes, Kristian Thorstvedt, Thelo Aasgaard, Andreas Schjelderup, Oscar Bobb; Jørgen Strand Larsen (Haaland & Ødegaard named as substitutes)
France (4-2-3-1): Mike Maignan; Dayot Upamecano, Jules Koundé, Théo Hernandez, Maxence Lacroix; Manu Koné, Aurélien Tchouaméni; Ousmane Dembélé, Kylian Mbappé, Michael Olise, Désiré Doué
Tactical Battles That Could Decide the Result
Bobb vs France’s full-backs: With Haaland on the bench, Oscar Bobb becomes Norway’s most dangerous attacker. His pace and directness on the counter could trouble Lacroix, who is making a high-profile start in place of the injured Saliba. If Bobb can find space in behind, Norway have a genuine route to goal early.
Mbappé vs Norway’s makeshift backline: France will look to capitalise on any weaknesses in the Norwegian defense, which lacks the same quality it has in the midfield and final third. Mbappé is not the only likely tormentor, with Michael Olise in terrific form and Ousmane Dembélé opening his goalscoring account in the previous match.
The Haaland impact off the bench: If Haaland sits to start, the threat drops sharply — but his inclusion as a substitute would change the calculus quickly. The moment Haaland enters the pitch, Norway become a completely different team and France’s defensive block will face its most severe test of the tournament.
Tchouaméni as captain — leadership under pressure: With Deschamps absent and Saliba ruled out, France need their experienced leaders to step forward. Tchouaméni wearing the armband for the first time in a major fixture at this World Cup is a significant moment that will define his tournament.
Head-to-Head Record
These sides have met 15 times over the past 103 years, with France winning seven, Norway four and the other four drawn. They have never met in a major tournament before — making this a historic first competitive knockout-relevant clash between the two nations. The last meeting was a 4-0 friendly win for France in 2014, with Olivier Giroud scoring twice.
Players to Watch
Kylian Mbappé (France): Mbappé has scored 2 goals in each of France’s matches so far, with 12 total shots and 7 shots on target. During UEFA World Cup qualifying, he scored in all four games. His 4.94 shots per 90 minutes for Real Madrid in 2025-26 ranked in the 99th percentile and led La Liga. Against a rotated Norwegian backline, this could be the night he takes outright control of the Golden Boot race.
Oscar Bobb (Norway): The Manchester City winger is Norway’s most exciting attacking outlet with Haaland on the bench. His ability to take on defenders and arrive late into the box makes him dangerous in transition — and a goal here would announce him on the world stage.
Michael Olise (France): Olise is in terrific form and will be given the freedom to roam behind Mbappé and exploit Norway’s defensive gaps. His combination play, set-piece delivery, and ability to shoot from range make him arguably the most complete attacking midfielder at this World Cup.
Erling Haaland (Norway — from the bench): Even starting as a substitute, Haaland is the most talked-about player in Foxborough. Since August 2022, Norway have won 64.5% of matches with Haaland in the lineup but just 33.3% without him. His entrance, when it comes, will be the defining moment of the match.
Team Form, Trends & Stats
Norway’s xG per shot of 0.19 leads all nations after the first two matchdays, as they have bagged seven goals from just 25 attempts. Their attacking efficiency has been the story of the group stage — but with their two best players on the bench from the start, maintaining that standard becomes a far greater challenge.
France are averaging 2.0 expected goals per match and have covered the 2.5 goals line in an extraordinary run of recent fixtures. France rank fifth with 38.0 ball progressions per match, highlighting how consistently they move possession into dangerous attacking areas.
The winner of this match will face a third-place qualifier on Germany’s side of the bracket, while the loser will play the Ivory Coast on Brazil’s side of the 32-team bracket — making the stakes for the knockout pathway very real despite both sides already being through.
Prediction
This is the most extraordinary match of Matchday 3 — not just for what is happening on the pitch, but for the human stories surrounding it. France play to honour their absent manager. Norway’s greatest ever player watches from the bench. France are the better team by a clear margin, with a front line that should overwhelm a Norway defense. But Norway can score, and this is not a meaningless game — Norway can win the group by beating France, and the balance is delicate.
When Haaland comes off the bench in the second half, the final thirty minutes could be the most thrilling passage of play at this entire World Cup.
Prediction: France 3–1 Norway — Mbappé scores, Haaland scores from the bench, France top Group I — but Norway serve notice that the knockout rounds are about to get very interesting indeed.