Norway has officially booked their place in the FIFA World Cup 2026, marking their first appearance in the global tournament in 28 years. This significant achievement, which will be their fourth overall World Cup showing, came after a dramatic 4-1 victory over Italy in the UEFA qualifiers on November 16. Meanwhile, Portugal also secured their automatic qualification spot for the 2026 tournament, set to be held across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, following an emphatic 9-1 triumph against Armenia, a match played without their captain Cristiano Ronaldo.
The last time Norway participated in the FIFA World Cup was in 1998, when the tournament was hosted by France. This historic return means that Norway is once again on the world stage, a full generation after their last outing, which notably predates the birth of their current star striker, Erling Haaland. Haaland, widely regarded as one of the world’s most prolific forwards, now spearheads the Norwegian squad, making their return to the World Cup particularly exciting for fans. Their previous World Cup appearances were in 1938, 1994, and 1998, with the upcoming 2026 edition marking their fourth.
The crucial Group I encounter saw Norway overcome Italy with a remarkable 4-1 comeback. Italy initially took the lead in the 11th minute through a goal by Pio Esposito. However, Norway, demonstrating their resilience and strength as group leaders, mounted a spectacular second-half surge. Antonio Nusa leveled the score in the 63rd minute, followed by a quick-fire brace from Erling Haaland in the 78th and 79th minutes. Strand Larsen sealed the dominant victory with a goal in the 90+3 minute. Despite the loss, Italy managed to secure second place in Group I, keeping their hopes alive for a spot in the World Cup 2026 through the European playoffs. Other teams in the group, including Israel, Estonia, and Moldova, were eliminated from contention during this qualifying round.
Following the completion of eight matches in Group I, Norway finished at the top of the standings with an impressive 24 points. Italy secured second place with 18 points, earning them a playoff berth. Israel concluded their campaign in third with 12 points, while Estonia and Moldova finished fourth and fifth with 4 and 1 points, respectively, both missing out on further progression.
In Group F, Portugal showcased their formidable attacking prowess, securing automatic qualification with a resounding 9-1 victory over Armenia. Despite the absence of their influential captain Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal’s nine goals were distributed amongst Renato Veiga, Goncalo Ramos, and Francisco Conceicao, with both Joao Neves and Bruno Fernandes each bagging an impressive hat-trick. This commanding win propelled Portugal to the top of Group F with 13 points from six matches, ensuring their direct passage to the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This will mark Portugal’s eighth appearance at the World Cup finals. Significantly, should he participate, a 40-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo would make his sixth World Cup appearance, setting a new record.
Also in Group F, Ireland, who had previously defeated Portugal, managed to secure a coveted spot in the European playoffs. They achieved this by narrowly overcoming Hungary with a hard-fought 3-2 victory. This win brought Ireland’s tally to 10 points from six matches, placing them second in the group. Hungary, with 8 points in third place, and Armenia, at the bottom with just 3 points, both saw their World Cup 2026 ambitions extinguished in this qualifying phase.
Moving to Group D, Ukraine earned their opportunity to compete in the European playoffs after a crucial 2-0 victory against Iceland in their final match. This came after France had already secured their automatic qualification from the group. France concluded their successful qualifying campaign with a 3-1 win over Azerbaijan.
The race for automatic qualification in Group B remains intense, with Switzerland and Kosovo fiercely contending for a direct spot at the World Cup. Slovenia and Sweden, despite boasting strong strikers, have unfortunately been eliminated from contention for the 2026 tournament. Switzerland currently leads the group with 13 points, closely followed by Kosovo. Slovenia sits in third with only 3 points, while Sweden surprisingly finds themselves at the bottom with just 1 point from five matches. Group B is set for a thrilling conclusion with one final match scheduled for this week. Meanwhile, other qualifying groups (A, C, E, G, H, J, and L) are also poised to determine their automatic qualifiers and playoff contenders in the coming days.
