2026 World Cup qualifier: Norway vs. Italy official line-ups | OneFootball

Italy begin their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign against Erling Haaland’s Norway with Sandro Tonali, Mateo Retegui and debutant Diego Coppola.

It kicks off at the Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo at 19.45 UK time (18.45 GMT, 20.45 CET).

You can follow all the build-up and action as it happens on the Liveblog.

The Azzurri are in Group I along with Norway, Moldova, Estonia and Israel.

While this is the first match for the Nazionale, Norway have already played and won two games to top the group.

epa11651139 Italy’s head coach Luciano Spalletti attends a press conference at Olimpico stadium in Rome, Italy, 09 October 2024. Italy face Belgium in a UEFA Nations League soccer match on 10 October 2024 in Rome. EPA-EFE/ETTORE FERRARI

Luciano Spalletti has a decimated squad going into this tricky fixture, as Moise Kean, Alessandro Buongiorno, Riccardo Calafiori, Matteo Gabbia and more have pulled out due to injury.

Inter defender Francesco Acerbi also refused to accept the call-up for international duty, so Hellas Verona’s Coppola is thrown straight in at the deep end for his senior Italy debut.

It is expected to be a 3-4-2-1 formation with Sandro Tonali in a more advanced role along with Giacomo Raspadori in support of striker Retegui.

Atalanta veteran Davide Zappacosta makes his return to the Italy side for the first time since September 2018, with Tottenham’s Destiny Udogie on the other flank, as Federico Dimarco is not fully fit.

BELGRADE, SERBIA – JUNE 02: Erling Haaland of Norway celebrates after victory in the UEFA Nations League League B Group 4 match between Serbia and Norway at Stadion Rajko Mitić on June 02, 2022 in Belgrade, Serbia. (Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images)

Norway have already won both their World Cup qualifiers, crushing Moldova 5-0 before a 4-2 victory over Israel.

The undoubted star man is Manchester City centre-forward Erling Haaland, who has 40 goals in 41 senior caps for Norway.

At club level, he found the net 31 times in 44 games for Manchester City this season.

Another man to watch is Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard, while Genoa’s Morten Thorsby and Torino winger Marcus Pedersen represent Serie A.

Norway vs Italy World Cup qualifier

Norway vs. Italy line-ups

Norway: Nyland; Ryerson, Ajer, Heggem, Moller Wolfe; Odegaard, Berge, Thorsby, Nusa; Sorloth, Haaland

Norway bench: Dyngeland, Selvik, Ostigard, Berg, Larsen, Gundersen, Pedersen, Aasgaard, Donnum, Schjelderup, Bobb, Johnsen

Italy: Donnarumma; Di Lorenzo, Coppola, Bastoni; Zappacosta, Barella, Rovella, Udogie; Raspadori, Tonali; Retegui

Italy bench: Meret, Carnesecchi, Dimarco, Gatti, Ricci, Orsolini, Casadei, Rugani, Frattesi, Lucca, Ranieri, Cambiaso

Ref: Maria Sanchez (ESP)