Norway vs France: Superstar Strikers Face Off in Foxborough

High-powered attacking teams set for Group I decider

We’re down to the final round of fixtures in Group I in the 2026 World Cup, and it’s one that fans from around the world have been waiting for! Leaders France will look to hold off second-place Norway to finish as group winners.

The Norwegians have been one of the bright spots of this World Cup. From their supporters’ enthusiastic “Ro!” Viking Row celebration, to the electrifying attacking football they play on the pitch. A win over the 2018 champions would send out a massive signal of intent: that this Norway side, led by Man City’s Erling Haaland and Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard, can compete with the world’s very best teams and has what it takes to lift the trophy at the MetLife Stadium. Norway opened their campaign with a 4-1 win over Iraq, before then defeating Senegal 3-2 in the second round of fixtures.

France has faced little resistance so far. The most challenging period for them in the 2026 World Cup was the first 45 minutes against Senegal. The African side arguably should have gone into half time with the lead, if not for Ismaila Sarr fluffing a clear cut opportunity. The second half of that match showed what France is capable of to devastating effect, as they stormed to a 3-1 win courtesy of an Mbappe brace. Most recently, they cruised past Iraq 3-0, with Mbappe once again firing in two goals.

Here’s a look at how things stack up ahead of this pivotal fixture:

See our 2026 World Cup predictions

Deschamps absent as Stephan steps in

Off the pitch, France’s Didier Deschamps will not be on the sidelines for this one, as the decorated manager returned home following the passing of his mother. Taking his place for this match will be assistant Guy Stephan.

It’s hard to gauge exactly what type of reaction we will see from this French side on the pitch. This is an experienced and battle-tested group though, that tends to respond well in difficult moments, as we’ve outlined in our Norway vs France prediction.

In what will be Deschamps final tournament in charge of France, there would be no better sendoff than lifting the World Cup trophy once again. His numbers speak for themselves: a 118W-32D-31L record across 14 years in charge, a World Cup title in 2018 and a final appearance in 2022.

Haaland vs Mbappe: Golden Boot showdown

All eyes on Friday will be on the superstar matchup between the two top strikers in world football today: Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe. This is sure to be one of the most anticipated duels of the World Cup so far, made all the sweeter by the fact that these two players are in direct competition for the Golden Boot award. Messi leads the way with 5 goals, while Haaland and Mbappe tied for second (along with Vini Jr.) with 4 goals a piece.

And with such a high-profile meeting between these two prolific strikers, it begs the question: who has come out on top in this duel up to today’s match?

Mbappe vs Haaland: Head-to-head

Haaland has put up the better statistical numbers with 5 goals to Mbappe’s 1, but the Frenchman has ultimately walked away with the majority of the victories. It should also be noted that in two of those games, Mbappe came off the bench for the final 20 minutes. This is their first meeting on the international stage.

Will France get the victory over Norway, providing a fourth win for Erling Haaland for Kylian Mbappe? Or will underdogs Norway claim a statement victory over the team that bookmakers have as the current World Cup favourites? Either way, a thrilling match is expected in one of the group stage's most anticipated fixtures!

More 2026 World Cup news