Norway vs France confirmed lineups for World Cup 2026 Group I. Erling Haaland is benched as Norway rotate 10 players. Mbappe captains France with Dembele, Olise and Doue supporting. Live score, how to watch free and full preview.
Published: June 26, 2026 | Category: FIFA World Cup 2026 | Author: Hemim SK
Norway vs France lineup: confirmed. And the team news is the most shocking of the entire 2026 World Cup group stage.
Erling Haaland — the world’s most prolific striker, scorer of two goals on his World Cup debut against Iraq, the man who carried Norway back to a tournament for the first time since 1998 almost single-handedly with 16 goals in 8 qualifying matches — is on the bench. Norway have rotated ten players for their final Group I match against France.
Let that land for a second. Ten players changed. Against France. Against the tournament favourites. Against Kylian Mbappe.
Norway managerStåle Solbakken has made the most calculated — or the most controversial — team selection decision of the entire tournament. If it works, he is a genius who kept his best players fresh for the Round of 32. If it does not, the questions will be loud, immediate and entirely deserved.
The lineups are confirmed. The match is about to begin. Here is everything you need.
Norway vs France — Match Facts
Date: Friday June 27, 2026
Kickoff: IMMINENT — check local listings
Venue: Boston Stadium (Gillette Stadium), Foxborough, Massachusetts
Group: I — The Group of Death
Context: Norway already qualified for Round of 32. France need a result to top the group.
TV USA: Fox / FS1 / FREE on Tubi
TV UK: BBC One / BBC iPlayer — free
TV Norway: NRK — free to air
TV France: TF1 / M6 — free to air
LIVE SCORE — Follow Right Now
How to Watch Norway vs France FREE
FREE in the USA:
Tubi — completely FREE, no subscription, no credit card. Go to tubi.tv right now or download the Tubi app on any device. This is the fastest free option.
Fox / FS1 — free with cable subscription or HD antenna. Check which channel the match is on in your area.
Telemundo — Spanish language, free with cable.
FREE in the UK:
BBC One — free to air. Check BBC Sport for the exact channel.
BBC iPlayer — stream free on any device at bbc.co.uk/iplayer. No subscription required. Available outside the UK only with a VPN and UK account.
FREE in Norway:
NRK — Norway’s national public broadcaster carries all Norway matches completely free to air. Stream at nrk.no or via the NRK app.
FREE in France:
TF1 — free to air, France’s most-watched channel.
M6 — free to air alternative for French viewers.
Both available to stream via their respective apps.
FREE Worldwide:
FIFA+ at plus.fifa.com — free streaming where no local broadcast rights are sold. Available on iOS, Android and web browser.
Paid options: Fubo (USA — all 104 matches), DAZN (Canada)
CONFIRMED LINEUPS
Norway Starting XI — Heavily Rotated
Goalkeeper: Egil Selvik (#13)
— Not first-choice keeper Jorgen Strand Larsen in goal. Selvik gets his chance.
Defence:
Leo Østigård (#4)
Patrick Berg (#6)
Jørgen Strand Larsen (#11) — note: playing in defence, not attack
Fredrik Aursnes (#14)
Midfield:
Fredrik Bjørkan (#15)
Kristian Thorstvedt (#18)
Thelonious Aasgaard (#19)
Attack:
Andreas Schjelderup (#21)
Oscar Bobb (#22)
Henrik Falchener (#25)
Notable ABSENCES from starting XI:
Erling Haaland — BENCHED
Martin Ødegaard — BENCHED
Nyland (first choice GK) — BENCHED
Alexander Sørloth — BENCHED
Jørgen Strand Larsen (striker role) — repurposed
This is a Norway side with almost no recognisable names from their first-choice eleven. Ten changes from the lineup that beat Iraq 4-1. Solbakken has clearly decided that Norway — already qualified for the Round of 32 — have nothing to gain from risking their best players against France and everything to lose if Haaland, Ødegaard or any other key man picks up an injury or a yellow card suspension.
The logic is completely understandable. The execution is extraordinarily bold.
France Starting XI — Full Strength
Goalkeeper: Mike Maignan (#1)
Defence (back four):
Jules Koundé (right back)
Dayot Upamecano (centre back)
Christophe Lacroix (centre back)
Theo Hernandez (left back)
Midfield:
Youssouf Koné
Aurélien Tchouaméni
Attack:
Michael Olise (right)
Ousmane Dembélé (centre attacking mid)
Desire Doué (left)
Striker:
Kylian Mbappé — Captain
France bench includes: Risser, Samba, Digne, Gusto, L. Hernandez, Konate, Saliba, Kante, Rabiot, Zaire-Emery, Akliouche, Barcola, Cherki, Mateta, Thuram
France manager Didier Deschamps has gone full strength. Every key player starts — Maignan in goal, Koundé and Theo Hernandez providing width from full-back, Tchouaméni anchoring the midfield, and an attacking four of Olise, Dembélé, Doué and Mbappé that is arguably the most frightening front unit at the entire tournament.
The depth on France’s bench — Kante, Thuram, Barcola, Zaire-Emery, Saliba — would start for almost every other team at this World Cup. France have come to win this match and top Group I.
The Big Question — Why Has Haaland Been Rested?
There are two ways to read Norway’s decision to rest Haaland and nine other first-choice players against France, and both of them are interesting.
The optimistic reading is this: Norway have already qualified for the Round of 32 regardless of this result. Haaland has already scored in the tournament. Ødegaard has already contributed. Resting them both against France — the strongest possible remaining opponent in Group I — makes perfect sense from a squad management perspective. The Round of 32 matters more than topping the group. Keeping Norway’s two most important players fresh, yellow-card-free and injury-free for the knockout stage is worth losing tonight.
The more critical reading is this: Norway are not just rotating, they are surrendering. France are the tournament favourites. Group I was already called the Group of Death before a ball was kicked. Norway’s decision suggests they do not believe a second-string side can compete with full-strength France — and that the best outcome they can realistically hope for tonight is a narrow, managed defeat rather than a victory that risks their best players.
Which interpretation you believe probably depends on whether Norway win their Round of 32 match. If Haaland comes back and scores and Norway reach the quarter-finals, Solbakken’s decision will be hailed as brilliant squad management. If Norway go out in the Round of 32 and Haaland looks rusty from the rest, the rotation will look like a mistake.
Football managers live or die on exactly these kinds of calls.
France’s Attacking Four — The Most Frightening Unit at the Tournament
While the Norway team news is dominating the headlines, it is worth taking a moment to appreciate what France have put out tonight. Mbappé, Dembélé, Olise and Doué — four attackers, all at the peak of their abilities, all capable of winning any match individually — are starting together in a front unit that has been described by multiple football analysts as the strongest attacking lineup assembled by any nation at this tournament.
Mbappé leads as captain and carries the expectations of an entire nation that last won the World Cup in 2018. Dembélé provides the creative unpredictability that defenders cannot plan for. Olise — in brilliant form since moving to Bayern Munich — offers the technical quality and direct running from the right that gives France width and threat in behind. Doué, the youngest of the four and the least established internationally, adds the dynamism and forward momentum that makes France genuinely dangerous on every forward move.
Against a Norwegian side that has rested ten players, France’s front four should have a productive evening. The question is whether Solbakken’s gamble produces the tight, controlled defeat he is hoping for — or whether France simply have too much quality for even a motivated second-string Norway team to manage.
Group I Picture — What This Match Decides
Going into the final group matches, Group I’s picture is as follows. France and Norway both need clarity on group position for their Round of 32 bracket placement. Senegal and Iraq play simultaneously in the group’s other final match.
France top Group I if they win or draw tonight.
Norway top Group I if they beat France — which, with this lineup, is an extraordinary long shot.
Senegal can still affect the standings depending on their result against Iraq.
As covered in our Norway World Cup 2026 Schedule and France World Cup 2026 Schedule, the Round of 32 bracket placement matters enormously — the difference between topping and finishing second in Group I could mean the difference between facing a relatively straightforward Round of 32 opponent or a much tougher one.
Match Prediction
France to win comfortably. Against a Norway side that has rested Haaland, Ødegaard and eight other first-choice players, Mbappé and France’s full-strength attacking unit should have the quality to find the goals their lineup demands.
The only scenario where Norway cause a surprise is if Oscar Bobb — the Manchester City winger who is arguably Norway’s most dangerous player in tonight’s starting XI — finds one of those performances where everything clicks from wide areas, and if Schjelderup and Falchener provide enough direct running to keep France’s defence occupied.
But France’s depth is simply too much. Even if Mbappé has a quiet night, Dembélé, Olise or Doué will find a way.
Prediction: France 3-2 Norway
Norway to defend with discipline for 60 minutes before France’s quality tells in the final half hour. Mbappé to score his second of the tournament. Dembélé to be France’s most dangerous player throughout.
Need To Know
Why is Haaland not starting for Norway against France?
Norway managerStåle Solbakken has rested Erling Haaland and ten other first-choice players for the final group match against France. Norway have already qualified for the Round of 32 regardless of this result, and the decision appears designed to keep Norway’s key players fresh and injury-free for the knockout stage.
What is Norway’s lineup vs France?
Norway confirmed XI: Selvik (GK); Østigård, Berg, Strand Larsen, Aursnes (defence); Bjørkan, Thorstvedt, Aasgaard (midfield); Schjelderup, Bobb, Falchener (attack). Haaland, Ødegaard and nine other first-choice players are on the bench.
What is France’s lineup vs Norway?
France confirmed XI: Maignan (GK); Koundé, Upamecano, Lacroix, T.Hernandez (defence); Koné, Tchouaméni (midfield); Olise, Dembélé, Doué (attack); Mbappé — captain (striker).
How can I watch Norway vs France for free?
In the USA: Tubi streams it completely free — no subscription needed. Also free on Fox or FS1 with cable or antenna. In the UK: BBC One and BBC iPlayer, free to air. In Norway: NRK free to air. In France: TF1 and M6 free to air.
How many players has Norway rotated for France?
Norway have rotated ten players for their final Group I match against France, keeping only one player from their recent starting lineup in the XI.
Is Martin Ødegaard playing for Norway vs France?
No — Martin Ødegaard has been rested alongside Haaland for Norway’s match against France. He is on the bench as part of Norway’s mass rotation policy for this final group stage fixture.
Who is France’s captain vs Norway?
Kylian Mbappé captains France against Norway, wearing the armband for the Group I final match at Gillette Stadium in Boston.
What does Norway need to qualify from Group I?
Norway have already qualified for the World Cup 2026 Round of 32 regardless of tonight’s result against France. Their group position — first or second — will be determined by the result but their presence in the knockout stage is already confirmed.
Conclusion
Norway vs France. Haaland on the bench. Ten changes. Mbappé leading a full-strength France side. The biggest team selection story of the entire group stage.
This is football management at its most revealing. Solbakken has made his bet — that the Round of 32 matters more than this match, and that keeping Haaland fresh is worth whatever happens tonight. France, with Mbappé and their full attacking unit, will test whether that calculation was correct.
Watch free on Tubi. Watch free on BBC iPlayer. Follow live on SofaScore or BBC Sport.
The final night of Group I. The Group of Death reaches its conclusion. Do not miss it.
Related: France World Cup 2026 Schedule — Les Bleus Complete Group I Campaign
Related: World Cup 2026 Round of 32 Schedule — Every Match, Venue and Kickoff Time
Was Solbakken right to rest Haaland against France — bold squad management or a total surrender? Tell us in the comments below