Norway face France on June 26 in Group I opener

Norway's World Cup group opener set for June 26 against France

The schedule is now clear. Norway meet France in their Group I opener at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday, June 26, with kick-off at 21:00. That is your first big test in the tournament, and it is a heavyweight one right out of the gate (1).

Ståle Solbakken's side head in with questions to answer. The 1–1 friendly draw with Morocco in New Jersey showed both promise and problems: an electric opening 20 minutes followed by physical drop-off and defensive gaps. Martin Ødegaard pulled Norway level in the second half, but the reliance on his creativity is something France will exploit if the supporting cast does not step up.

Solbakken himself called out Scotland for canceling a planned warm-up match at the last minute, labeling it unprofessional. That disruption means Norway enter the World Cup with less preparation than planned.

Norway tipped as a potential surprise at the World Cup

You are not flying under the radar. Portuguese outlet A Bola has flagged both Morocco and Norway as teams that could spring a surprise at this tournament (2). The talent in the squad, from Ødegaard's vision to the Benfica duo of Fredrik Aursnes and Andreas Schjelderup, gives the side genuine quality. The question remains whether Solbakken can tighten the defensive shape and make the high press sustainable over 90 minutes.

Mazraoui fit for Morocco's opener after shoulder blow against Norway

Remember Noussaïr Mazraoui going off injured in that Morocco friendly? He has recovered from the shoulder issue and is cleared to face Brazil in Morocco's World Cup opener (4).

However, his teammate Nayef Aguerd will miss the entire group stage, not due to a setback, but by mutual agreement with the coaching staff. Aguerd said: "Despite all the efforts made in recent weeks, it became clear that I would not be 100% physically ready for the start of the competition." He will remain with the squad as a supporter (4).

Fan reactions

Norwegian fans online are split between quiet confidence and nervous realism. The France fixture is being circled as a free hit, lose and it is expected, get a result and the tournament truly opens up. There is also genuine frustration over Scotland pulling out of the warm-up match, with supporters agreeing with Solbakken that it was unprofessional and left the team undercooked. Join the discussion on r/NorskFotball