Norway Beat Senegal 3-2 to Take Command of Group I
Norway are in control. As of June 23, 2026, Ståle Solbakken's side have six points from two Group I matches at the World Cup 2026, after beating Senegal 3-2 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford <a href="/matches/norway-vs-senegal/" rel="cite noopener" target="_blank" class="mt-citation" title="Match centre vs Senegal — official record" data-access-date="2026-06-23T04:36:00.897Z">Match centre vs Senegal — official record</a>. One game remains. It is the only one that matters: France, June 26, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough.
The result
Norway 3, Senegal 2 (as of June 23, 2026). A home win at MetLife Stadium. It was tight, it was chaotic, and it was enough.
This follows the opening 4-1 victory away to Iraq on June 16 <a href="/matches/norway-vs-senegal/" rel="cite noopener" target="_blank" class="mt-citation" title="Match centre vs Senegal — official record" data-access-date="2026-06-23T04:36:00.897Z">Match centre vs Senegal — official record</a> (as of June 23, 2026). Two matches, two wins, six points. Norway have not lost a World Cup group-stage match yet.
What this means for Group I
Group I now has a clear shape. Norway sit on six points. France beat Senegal in the opener and play Iraq on June 22 in Philadelphia. The final matchday — June 26 — brings Norway vs. France at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, with Senegal vs. Iraq in Toronto at the same kickoff <a href="/matches/norway-vs-senegal/" rel="cite noopener" target="_blank" class="mt-citation" title="Match centre vs Senegal — official record" data-access-date="2026-06-23T04:36:00.897Z">Match centre vs Senegal — official record</a>.
A Norway win against France could secure top spot in the group <a href="/matches/norway-vs-senegal/" rel="cite noopener" target="_blank" class="mt-citation" title="Match centre vs Senegal — official record" data-access-date="2026-06-23T04:36:00.897Z">Match centre vs Senegal — official record</a>. Even a draw might be enough depending on goal difference. Norway's goal record across the tournament so far — seven scored, three conceded — gives them a cushion.
The form behind the run
This is not a fluke. Norway's recent form reads 7 wins, 3 draws, 1 loss across their last 11 matches. They have scored 35 goals and conceded 9 in that stretch <a href="/matches/norway-vs-senegal/" rel="cite noopener" target="_blank" class="mt-citation" title="Match centre vs Senegal — official record" data-access-date="2026-06-23T04:36:00.897Z">Match centre vs Senegal — official record</a> (as of June 23, 2026).
That run includes a 4-1 win away to Italy in November 2025, a 5-0 home win over Israel in October 2025, and a 3-1 home win over Sweden in June. The only defeat: 1-2 away to the Netherlands in March. This is a team that has been building form for months, not riding one result (as of June 23, 2026).
The Haaland question
Erling Haaland is the name everyone knows. His club numbers are staggering: 42 goals in 57 appearances for Manchester City over the last 12 months <a href="/matches/norway-vs-senegal/" rel="cite noopener" target="_blank" class="mt-citation" title="Match centre vs Senegal — official record" data-access-date="2026-06-23T04:36:00.897Z">Match centre vs Senegal — official record</a>. But his national-team minutes in that same window sit at 230 across 3 appearances. The gap is real (as of June 23, 2026).
How Solbakken deploys Haaland against France — and how much the team's attacking depth can operate around and beyond him — is the tactical question of Norway's tournament.
Beyond Haaland — the depth that drives Norway
Norway's squad is deeper than one striker. A few names worth tracking ahead of the France match:
- K. Thorstvedt (Sassuolo) — leads the squad in NT minutes with 1,133 across 37 appearances. 2 goals, 1 assist. The engine (as of June 23, 2026).
- J. Ryerson (Borussia Dortmund) — 18 assists in 52 club appearances over the trailing 12 months. One of the most attack-minded full-backs at the tournament <a href="/matches/norway-vs-senegal/" rel="cite noopener" target="_blank" class="mt-citation" title="Match centre vs Senegal — official record" data-access-date="2026-06-23T04:36:00.897Z">Match centre vs Senegal — official record</a> (as of June 23, 2026).
- A. Schjelderup (Benfica) — 18 goals in 53 club appearances. 1 NT goal in 4 appearances. A livewire (as of June 23, 2026).
- J. Strand Larsen (Crystal Palace) — 10 club goals in 48 appearances, plus 2 NT goals in 4 caps. A second forward option who can share the load with Haaland (as of June 23, 2026).
- F. Aursnes (Benfica) — 4,425 club minutes across 54 appearances. 4 goals, 8 assists. Tireless (as of June 23, 2026).
- S. Berge (Fulham) — 3,028 club minutes in 39 appearances. Anchors the midfield (as of June 23, 2026).
The full Norway squad profile is on the country hub, updated daily with minutes and form data pulled from API-Football.
The road ahead
One match. June 26. Norway vs. France. Gillette Stadium, Foxborough.
Norway have not been to a World Cup knockout stage since 1998. Six points already banked. A draw might do it. A win almost certainly tops the group. The squad is 26 deep, the form is real, and the fixture is set.
When does Norway play France at the World Cup 2026?
Norway face France on June 26, 2026, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough. It is the final Group I matchday, with kickoff at 2:00 PM ET <a href="/matches/norway-vs-senegal/" rel="cite noopener" target="_blank" class="mt-citation" title="Match centre vs Senegal — official record" data-access-date="2026-06-23T04:36:00.897Z">Match centre vs Senegal — official record</a>.
How many points does Norway have in Group I?
Norway have six points from two matches — a 4-1 win over Iraq and a 3-2 win over Senegal <a href="/matches/norway-vs-senegal/" rel="cite noopener" target="_blank" class="mt-citation" title="Match centre vs Senegal — official record" data-access-date="2026-06-23T04:36:00.897Z">Match centre vs Senegal — official record</a>. A win or draw against France on June 26 would likely secure progression to the knockout stage (as of June 23, 2026).
Who leads Norway in national-team minutes?
Midfielder K. Thorstvedt of Sassuolo leads the squad with 1,133 NT minutes across 37 appearances over the trailing 12 months, contributing 2 goals and 1 assist <a href="/matches/norway-vs-senegal/" rel="cite noopener" target="_blank" class="mt-citation" title="Match centre vs Senegal — official record" data-access-date="2026-06-23T04:36:00.897Z">Match centre vs Senegal — official record</a> (as of June 23, 2026).
What is Erling Haaland's club form heading into the France match?
Haaland has scored 42 goals in 57 club appearances for Manchester City over the last 12 months <a href="/matches/norway-vs-senegal/" rel="cite noopener" target="_blank" class="mt-citation" title="Match centre vs Senegal — official record" data-access-date="2026-06-23T04:36:00.897Z">Match centre vs Senegal — official record</a>. His NT minutes are lower — 230 across 3 appearances — but his presence shapes every opponent's defensive plan (as of June 23, 2026).
What is Norway's recent form record?
Across their last 11 matches, Norway have won 7, drawn 3, and lost 1, scoring 35 goals and conceding 9 <a href="/matches/norway-vs-senegal/" rel="cite noopener" target="_blank" class="mt-citation" title="Match centre vs Senegal — official record" data-access-date="2026-06-23T04:36:00.897Z">Match centre vs Senegal — official record</a>. The run includes wins over Italy, Sweden, Israel, and Iraq (as of June 23, 2026).