Iraq vs Norway

Match Preview

FIFA World Cup 2026: A Look Back at Iraq vs. Norway in Group I

The FIFA World Cup 2026 Group I encounter between Iraq and Norway took place on June 16, 2026, with Norway securing a decisive 4-1 victory. This match marked Iraq's return to the World Cup finals after a 40-year absence, and Norway's first appearance since 1998.

Match Overview

The game saw Norway's prolific striker Erling Haaland open the scoring in the 29th minute, tapping in a low cross. Iraq responded in the 39th minute with an equalizer from Aymen Hussein, who headed in a cross from Amir Al-Ammari. However, Norway quickly regained the lead just four minutes later, with Haaland finding the net again. In the 76th minute, Leo Østigård extended Norway's lead with a header from a corner. An own goal by Aymen Hussein in the 96th minute sealed Norway's 4-1 victory.

Team News

Iraq:

Iraq qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup by defeating Bolivia 2-1 in the inter-confederation play-off on March 31, 2026. The squad for their first World Cup in 40 years was captained by goalkeeper Jalal Hassan and featured a blend of European-based talent like Zidane Iqbal and Ali Al-Hamadi, alongside a strong core from the domestic league. Iraq was coached by Jesús Casas.

Norway:

Norway entered the tournament with a strong "golden generation" led by striker Erling Haaland, who was a key figure in their successful qualification campaign, scoring 16 goals. Captained by Martin Ødegaard, Norway had a perfect record in the UEFA qualifying phase, winning all eight games and scoring 37 goals, the most by any European team. Norway had secured their spot in the World Cup by winning UEFA Group I in the qualifiers.

Group I Standings and Outcome

Group I of the 2026 FIFA World Cup consisted of France, Senegal, Iraq, and Norway. Norway, along with France, secured their spots in the Round of 32 from this group. Senegal finished third and also advanced as one of the best third-placed teams. Iraq, unfortunately, lost all three of their group stage matches, finishing last in Group I without any points and were eliminated from the tournament.