Iraq vs Norway: The Battle Ahead at the 2026 FIFA World Cup

Will Iraq be able to stand in the way of Norway's unstoppable attack led by the phenomenal Erling Haaland? In this 2026 FIFA World Cup preview, we delve into the intricacies of the upcoming match between Iraq and Norway in Group I.

The question on everyone's mind is: Can Iraq stop Erling Haaland from dominating the game? Haaland, who has scored an astonishing 55 goals in 50 games for Norway, is the epitome of a footballing phenomenon. His impressive tally of goals has left many in awe, and it's no surprise that Norway was the dominant team in World Cup qualifying, winning all eight of their games and scoring an astonishing 37 goals in the process.

Norway's scoring rate of 4.6 goals per game was the best-ever average for any European nation in a single World Cup qualifying campaign with more than four games played. Martin Ødegaard was a key contributor, notching a UEFA-high seven assists, and he was well supported by the likes of Alexander Sørloth, Antonio Nusa, and Julian Ryerson. But Haaland was undoubtedly the headliner, scoring 16 goals during qualifying – twice as many as any player for a European nation.

Norway is eager to capitalize on their momentum after a long time in the shadows. This is their first World Cup since 1998, when they were eliminated in the round of 16 by Italy, with current head coach Ståle Solbakken appearing off the bench. They also appeared at the 1994 tournament, the only previous edition hosted in the United States, but were eliminated in extraordinary fashion. All four teams in their group finished level on points and goal difference, still the only instance of its kind in World Cup history. Norway, however, ended up bottom due to scoring the fewest goals. It's hard to imagine that being an issue for them this year with Haaland leading the line.

Iraq, on the other hand, are the underdogs in this matchup. With a team led by head coach Graham Arnold, who guided Australia to the knockout stages of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Iraq is desperate to improve on their record from their only previous World Cup appearance in 1986, when they lost all three of their group matches. Halting Norway's imperious attack, led by Haaland, will be their first challenge.

This will be the first-ever meeting between Iraq and Norway. It will also be Norway's first match against a member of the AFC confederation at the FIFA World Cup. The Opta supercomputer is confident of a Norway win here, with Solbakken's side starting the tournament with a win in 77.4% of its 25,000 simulations. The next-most likely result is a draw at 14.0%. Meanwhile, Iraq are regarded as having a 8.6% chance of earning a shock win.

Iraq's team squad consists of: Fahad Talib, Jalal Hassan, Ahmed Basil, Rebin Sulaka, Hussein Ali, Zaid Tahseen, Akam Hashim, Munaf Younus, Ahmed Maknzi, Merchas Doski, Mustafa Saadoon, Frans Putros, Ibrahim Bayesh, Zidane Iqbal, Amir Al Ammari, Kevin Yakob, Aimar Sher, Marko Farji, Zaid Ismael, Youssef Amyn, Ali Al Hamadi, Mohanad Ali, Ahmed Qasem, Ali Yousif, Ali Jasim, Aymen Hussein.

Norway's team squad includes: Ørjan Nyland, Sander Tangvik, Egil Selvik, Kristoffer Ajer, Leo Østigård, David Møller Wolfe, Fredrik Bjørkan, Marcus Pedersen, Torbjørn Heggem, Sondre Langås, Henrik Falchener, Julian Ryerson, Morten Thorsby, Patrick Berg, Sander Berge, Martin Ødegaard, Fredrik Aursnes, Kristian Thorstvedt, Thelo Aasgaard, Antonio Nusa, Oscar Bobb, Jens Petter Hauge, Alexander Sørloth, Erling Haaland, Jørgen Strand Larsen, Andreas Schjelderup.

Opta Analyst will provide you with expert predictions and live updates throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Stay updated by adding us as a preferred source and subscribing to our newsletter. Follow us on social media to get the latest updates.