Norway vs France XIs: Confirmed team news, predicted lineups and injury latest for World Cup 2026

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Evening Standard

·25 June 2026

Norway vs France XIs: Confirmed team news, predicted lineups and injury latest for World Cup 2026

Two of world’s best strikers go head-to-head in Golden Boot battle

Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland will be hoping to overtake Lionel Messi as the top goalscorer at World Cup 2026 when the pair lock horns tomorrow.

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Les Bleus top the table by a single goal, with both sides taking two wins from their opening two matches of the tournament.

Didier Deschamps has plumped for a mostly settled lineup, and he made three changes to his side for the 3-0 win over Iraq, which followed the 3-1 victory against Senegal.

Manu Kone partnered Adrien Rabiot in midfield, with Aurelien Tchouameni dropping to the bench, and Bradley Barcola was given the nod over Desire Doue on the left flank. Lucas Digne came on for Theo Hernandez at left-back.

Those decisions could be reversed against Norway, as the French look to win the group and earn themselves a more favourable round of 32 tie.

Star boy: Michael Olise

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Elsewhere, Mike Maignan will continue between the sticks, with the first-choice defensive quartet of Jules Kounde, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano and Hernandez ahead of him.

For a game of this magnitude, it would seem reasonable for Tchouameni to come back into the team, while it is the flip of a coin as to whether Barcola or Doue start.

Michael Olise was tucked inside as the No10 last time out, swapping positions with Ousmane Dembele, who was shifted out wide right.

As for Norway, Stale Solbakken usually elects for a lop-sided 4-4-2 that can fluidly move into a 4-3-3 shape.

Orjen Nyland, the former Aston Villa goalkeeper, will continue as the No1, with Julian Ryerson and David Moller Wolfe the full-backs. In central defence, Kristoffer Ajer and Torbjorn Heggem are the go-to pairing.

Martin Odegaard is given a free-roaming role off the right, where he can move inside into pockets of space and create as he pleases, similar to how he operates at Arsenal.

Sander Berge and Fredrik Aursnes complete the trio in the engine room, covering the ground and putting in the defensive donkey work.

Antonio Nusa is the out and out winger in the side, utilising his pace in behind on the counter to keep up with Haaland, while Alexander Sorloth can drift into the right-hand channels when called upon, as well as adding another physical presence in the box.

Predicted France XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Kounde, Saliba, Upamecano, Hernandez; Rabiot, Tchouameni; Olise, Dembele, Doue; Mbappe

Predicted Norway XI (4-4-2): Nyland; Ryerson, Ajer, Heggem, Wolfe; Odegaard, Aursnes, Berge, Nusa; Sorloth, Haaland

Date and time: 8pm on Friday, June 26, 2026

Venue: Gilette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

How to watch: ITV