Ståle Solbakken confirmed Norway's 26-man World Cup squad on Thursday evening, completing a journey that began with a 5-0 demolition of Moldova in March 2025 and ended with the most dominant European qualifying campaign in years. Eight matches. Eight wins. Thirty-seven goals scored, five conceded. Norway are going to a World Cup for the first time since France 1998.
The headline is Erling Haaland. It was always going to be Haaland. Sixteen goals in eight qualifiers — a rate that would be absurd at club level and is almost incomprehensible at international level, where fixtures come in windows and rhythm is never a given. He has 55 goals in 48 appearances for Norway. He has never played at a major tournament. That changes in June.
Martin Ødegaard captains the squad. The Arsenal midfielder has had an injury-disrupted club season but remains the creative heartbeat of this team — seven assists in qualifying, the player Haaland needs beside him. Alexander Sørloth of Atlético Madrid, who scored five in qualifying, is expected to partner Haaland up front. Oscar Bobb, now at Fulham after leaving Manchester City in January, and Antonio Nusa of RB Leipzig provide the width and the unpredictability from the flanks.
Haaland
The squad
Goalkeepers: Ørjan Nyland (Sevilla), Egil Selvik (Watford), Sander Tangvik (Hamburger SV)
Defenders: Kristoffer Ajer (Brentford), Fredrik André Bjørkan (Bodø/Glimt), Henrik Falchener (Viking), Torbjørn Heggem (Bologna), Sondre Langås (Derby County), Marcus Holmgren Pedersen (Torino), Julian Ryerson (Borussia Dortmund), David Møller Wolfe (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Leo Østigård (Genoa)
Midfielders: Thelo Aasgaard (Rangers), Fredrik Aursnes (Benfica), Patrick Berg (Bodø/Glimt), Sander Berge (Fulham), Oscar Bobb (Fulham), Jens Petter Hauge (Bodø/Glimt), Antonio Nusa (RB Leipzig), Andreas Schjelderup (Benfica), Morten Thorsby (Cremonese), Kristian Thorstvedt (Sassuolo), Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal, captain)
Forwards: Erling Haaland (Manchester City), Jørgen Strand Larsen (Crystal Palace), Alexander Sørloth (Atlético Madrid)
Coach: Ståle Solbakken | Group I: France · Senegal · Iraq
What it tells you
Solbakken's Norway is built around Haaland's finishing and Ødegaard's supply, but it is not a two-man team. The qualifying campaign revealed a squad with genuine depth in midfield — Berge provides the physical presence, Thorstvedt the box-to-box energy, Patrick Berg the intelligence — and pace on the flanks through Nusa, 21, and Bobb, 22, both fearless.
The defense is the area of concern. Norway's qualifying group (Italy, Israel, Estonia, Moldova) did not test the backline the way France and Senegal will. Ajer, the most experienced center-back, has had an inconsistent season at Brentford. Ryerson has been dependable at Dortmund but will face a step up in quality. Whether Solbakken opts for a back four or shifts to three center-backs against France could define their tournament.
The most compelling storyline is Solbakken himself. In 2001, he suffered a cardiac arrest during training and was pronounced clinically dead before being revived seven minutes later. In December he extended his contract through Euro 2028. He qualified for a World Cup that seemed permanently out of reach. Whatever happens in Group I, the campaign is already a success.
Norway's qualifying campaign culminated in a 4-1 victory at the San Siro against Italy in November — a result that sent Italy into the playoffs and confirmed Norway's place. Haaland scored twice. The image of him celebrating in front of silenced Italian fans, draped in a Norwegian flag, is probably the defining moment of their qualifying cycle.
They open against Iraq on June 16 at Gillette Stadium in Boston, face Senegal on June 22 at MetLife Stadium in New York, and conclude Group I against France on June 26 at Gillette Stadium in Boston.
View Norway's full team profile →
Correction, October 5, 2026: this piece first went up before Norway's squad was announced, with a placeholder list of expected players; it now has the 26. It also said the announcement came on Wednesday (Thursday, May 21), that qualifying began in September 2024 (March 2025), listed Kazakhstan and Armenia in Norway's group (the group was Italy, Israel, Estonia and Moldova), said the 4-1 in Milan knocked Italy out (it sent them to the playoffs), said Solbakken would leave after the tournament (he had extended his contract to Euro 2028), and placed the France match in Seattle (it was at Gillette Stadium).
