Norway World Cup 2026 squad: Stale Solbakken's latest selection

Norway World Cup 2026 squad: Erling Haaland, draped in a Norway flag, celebrates Manchester City's victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League in May 2023. — Erling Haaland draped in a Norway flag (Image credit: Getty Images)

Jump To:

Squad
Fixtures
Manager
Star Player
Best XI

Norway will be heading to the World Cup for the first time in 28 years.

Erling Haaland and co made qualifying for World Cup 2026 look easy, scoring 37 goals and conceding just five times across their eight games, with two sensational wins over Italy the standouts, especially their 4-1 victory away at San Siro on the final matchday.

Erling Haaland is, naturally, the main attraction from this squad, but he is not the only big star, with Arsenal's Martin Odegaard another key name. Odegaard captains his nation.

The Gunners midfielder was not with Norway this March, however, as he continued to recover from a knee injury.

Jorgen Strand Larsen is another notable name in the squad, having reignited his season after a move from Wolverhampton Wanderers to Crystal Palace.

Similar is true of Oscar Bobb, who is finding more first-team football since switching Manchester City for Fulham this winter. Could the shifts involved in covering for Odegaard's absence open up more game time for the likes of Bobb at just the right moment ahead of the World Cup?

Squad

Norway's World Cup 2026 squad: The March selection

GK: Orjan Nyland (Sevilla)
GK: Egil Selvik (Watford)
GK: Viljar Myhra (OB)
DF: Kristoffer Ajer (Brentford)
DF: Julian Ryerson (Borussia Dortmund)
DF: Leo Skiri Ostigard (Genoa)
DF: Marcus Holmgren Pedersen (Torino)
DF: David Moller Wolfe (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
DF: Fredrik Andre Bjorkan (Bodo/Glimt)
DF: Torbjorn Heggem (Bologna)
DF: Odin Bjortuft (Bodo/Glimt)
DF: Henrik Falchener (Viking)
MF: Sander Berge (Fulham)
MF: Patrick Berg (Bodo/Glimt)
MF: Kristian Thorstvedt (Sassuolo)
MF: Morten Thorsby (Cremonese)
MF: Antonio Nusa (RB Leipzig)
MF: Oscar Bobb (Fulham)
MF: Jens Petter Hauge (Bodo/Glimt)
MF: Andreas Schjelderup (Benfica)
MF: Felix Horn Myhre (Brann)
FW: Alexander Sorloth (Atletico Madrid)
FW: Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
FW: Jorgen Strand Larsen (Crystal Palace)

Fixtures

June 1, 2026: Norway vs Sweden, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway
June 7, 2026: Norway vs Morocco, Sports Illustrated Stadium, Harrison, United States
June 16, 2026: Iraq vs Norway, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts, United States
June 22, 2026: Norway vs Senegal, MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States
June 26, 2026: Norway vs France, Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts, United States
September 24, 2026: Norway vs Denmark, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway
September 27, 2026: Norway vs Portugal, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway
October 1, 2026: Wales vs Norway, Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales
October 4, 2026: Portugal vs Norway, Portugal
November 14, 2026: Norway vs Wales, Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway
November 17, 2026: Denmark vs Norway, Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark

Who is Norway's manager?

Stale Solbakken, Head Coach of Norway, is lifted into the air by players of Norway as they celebrate victory following the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Norway at San Siro Stadium on November 16, 2025 in Milan, Italy. — Stale Solbakken is lifted into the air by players of Norway as they celebrate victory (Image credit: Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Those with excellent knowledge of the 1997-98 Premier League season will be familiar with Stale Solbakken. He made six appearances for Wimbledon that season, including two Man of the Match performances.

He has become the first manager in almost 30 years to take Norway to the World Cup after failing to make the previous two tournaments for which he was in charge.

In 2001, Solbakken suffered a heart attack during training. Although club doctor Frank Odgaard administered cardiac massage, he was pronounced clinically dead when the ambulance arrived. He was revived on the way to the hospital nearly seven minutes later.

Star Player

Who is Norway's star player?

Norway striker Erling Haaland leads the way in European World Cup qualifying with 16 goals — Norway striker Erling Haaland (Image credit: Getty Images)

Erling Haaland will finally represent his nation at a major tournament. The striker scored a staggering 16 goals in eight World Cup qualifiers to help his team on their way to Canada, Mexico and the United States.

Haaland is ranked at no.5 in FourFourTwo's list of the best strikers in the world right now and at no.3 in FourFourTwo's list of the greatest finishers in football history.

Norway will go into the tournament as something of a dark horse; should Haaland play to his full potential, they could cause a major upset in north America.

Best XI

TOPICS

Ewan is a freelance writer and social media manager who has worked for The Athletic, GOAL, 90min and OneFootball. From Gelsenkirchen to Riyadh, he has covered some of the biggest games in football in his three years in the industry.

With contributions from

Isaac Stacey StrongeFreelance Writer

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.

Norway World Cup 2026 squad: Stale Solbakken's latest selection for the March international break