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Gillette Stadium, Foxborough
Friday 26 June 2026, 8pm BST
Norway and France complete their Group I campaign at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough on Friday night, with both sides already guaranteed a place in the round of 32 – for those weighing up their bets ahead of kick-off, the best World Cup betting sites are listed on TNT Sports.
The contest is now for group supremacy – a win for Norway would see them top Group I and potentially reshape their path through the bracket, while France would be expected to confirm their position as the dominant side in what has been one of the tournament's most open groups.
Preview: Norway vs France
Norway have been one of the genuine stories of this World Cup, winning both of their group stage fixtures – 4-1 against Iraq and 3-2 against Senegal – to arrive at the final matchday level on points with France at the top of Group I.
Their five-match unbeaten run coming into this game, stretching back through wins over Sweden and Iraq and draws against Switzerland and Morocco, has been built on a front-foot approach that makes the most of the individual quality Stale Solbakken has available.
Erling Haaland is Norway's focal point in every sense – his record of 59 goals in 52 international appearances is extraordinary, and he has found the net in both of Norway's World Cup group games here.
The 4-3-3 system deployed by Solbakken places the onus on Alexander Sorloth and Antonio Nusa to provide width and movement in behind, with both capable of stretching France's defensive line and creating space for Haaland to operate centrally.
The concern for Norway is at the back – five goals conceded across their last five matches is a figure France's coaching staff will have examined, and it raises a genuine question about whether Norway can hold out long enough to impose themselves on a side of France's calibre.
France have been the more clinical side in Group I without needing to operate at full throttle – wins of 3-1 against Senegal and 3-0 against Iraq, with only one goal conceded in those two fixtures, speak to a team that controls games comfortably when they choose to.
Ranked third in the world, France have depth and quality at every position – the central defensive partnership of Dayot Upamecano and William Saliba provides a physical and technical platform that few strikers in this tournament have been able to breach.
Kylian Mbappe carries 60 goals in 100 international appearances into this match, and his combination of pace, movement and finishing makes him the individual threat Norway must account for from the first whistle.
France have conceded in four of their last five matches overall, however – a figure that hands Norway some grounds for optimism, particularly given the calibre of their own attacking options.
Desire Doue, Michael Olise and Ousmane Dembele give France flexibility and unpredictability through the middle and wide areas, and the 4-2-3-1 allows them to remain compact while still carrying a consistent threat on the break.
Team news: Norway vs France
Norway
Julian Ryerson is the one fitness concern for Norway heading into this game, carrying a knock that makes him doubtful, with Marcus Pedersen expected to deputise at right-back.
Torbjorn Heggem and Kristoffer Ajer are expected to continue as the central defensive partnership, having formed an effective partnership across both World Cup group games.
The midfield three of Fredrik Aursnes, Martin Odegaard and Sander Berge provides creativity and control in equal measure, with Odegaard pulling the strings centrally and Aursnes providing the defensive discipline to allow him to operate with freedom.
France
Didier Deschamps will be absent from the touchline after the death of his mother, with assistant Guy Stephan taking charge of the team for this fixture.
France have a fully fit squad available with no injury concerns heading into the group finale.
Mike Maignan continues in goal, protected by a back four of Jules Kounde, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano and Theo Hernandez – a unit that has been tested only lightly in Group I.
Aurelien Tchouameni and Adrien Rabiot start as the double pivot, providing the defensive structure that allows France's more creative players to operate with freedom further forward.
Desire Doue starts on the left of the attacking trio, with Michael Olise through the middle and Ousmane Dembele on the right behind Mbappe.
Norway vs France injuries and predicted XIs
Norway (4-3-3): Nyland; Pedersen, Heggem, Ajer, Moller Wolfe; Aursnes, Berge, Odegaard; Sorloth, Haaland, Nusa
France (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Kounde, Saliba, Upamecano, T Hernandez; Rabiot, Tchouameni; Doue, Olise, Dembele; Mbappe
Head-to-head: Norway vs France
France hold the advantage in the all-time head-to-head record, winning seven of 16 meetings to Norway's five, with four draws – a modest edge across a fixture list that spans over a century.
The most recent encounter came in an international friendly in May 2014, when France ran out comfortable 4-0 winners in a match that offers little tactical relevance given how significantly both squads have been rebuilt in the years since.
Earlier competitive meetings came through qualification campaigns for the World Cup and European Championship across the 1960s, 1970s and late 1980s, with Norway taking several impressive results against France during those qualifying cycles.
Both squads have undergone a fundamental transformation in the decade since their last meeting – Norway's current generation, built around Haaland and a group of players who have developed at top European clubs, bears little resemblance to the side that took the field in 2014.
Given the time elapsed and the absence of any recent competitive head-to-head data, the historical record serves as context rather than a predictor of what happens at Gillette Stadium on Friday.
Our Norway vs France prediction and tips
*Odds are indicative and subject to change. Please verify current prices before placing any bets.
- Haaland to give Norway a foothold – his scoring record demands that France account for him at all times, and one moment of quality is enough
- Mbappe is France's most direct threat; his pace against Norway's defence, with Pedersen deputising at right-back for the injured Ryerson, is the most likely avenue for a France goal
- Norway's unbeaten run of five shows they are capable of competing at this level, but France's quality in depth makes the difference in a close game
SpreadEx are among the bookmakers covering this Group I finale – see our SpreadEx review for a full breakdown of their football markets ahead of Friday's game.
Those opening a new account ahead of the knockout rounds should also explore our guide to new UK betting sites for the latest promotions available.
Adam is a freelance sports journalist with a decade of experience in the industry. Football is his passion, although he also follows darts and many other sports.
Adam supports Arsenal and local club Wealdstone, made famous by the Wealdstone Raider, who he has interviewed. Adam also follows the women's teams and the England national side.