Boston Stadium is locked for a massive Group I clash, as Erling Haaland‘s Norway makes its 2026 World Cup debut against a resilient Iraq side to officially wrap up Matchday 1 for the group.
This match marks a historic milestone for the Norwegians, who are making their first World Cup appearance in 28 years. In their comeback, Manchester City’s striker Erling Haaland is expected to feature in starting XI, leading his team’s offense.
Haaland enters soccer biggest stage as the focal point of Stale Solbakken’s attacking blueprint. The clinical 25-year-old is already Norway’s all-time leading goalscorer, racking up an astonishing 55 goals in just 50 international appearances across all competitions.
On the flip side, Iraq is orchestrating an incredible comeback of their own. The Lions of Mesopotamia are back on the World Cup stage for the first time in 40 years, with their lone previous appearance dating back to Mexico 1986. The underdogs will look to play party poopers, aiming to stifle Norway’s star-studded attack and escape their return to the world stage with at least a point.
Erling Haaland of Norway. (Getty Images)
Norway confirmed lineup
Norway rolls into Boston with a clean bill of health and zero major roster headaches. While there were some concerns regarding Martin Ødegaard’s fitness after a grueling Premier League finish, both the captain and manager Solbakken have completely dismissed any physical setbacks.
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Norway’s starting XI: Orjan Nyland; Julian Ryerson, Kristoffer Ajer, Torbjorn Heggem, David Moller Wolfe; Fredrik Aursnes, Martin Odegaard, Sander Berge, Antonio Nusa; Alexander Sorloth, Erling Haaland.
Iraq’s confirmed lineup
Iraq‘s coaching staff faces a tactical hurdle ahead of their tournament opener. Manager Graham Arnold will have to navigate the tournament without left-back Ahmed Yahya, who suffered a muscular injury during their 1-1 friendly draw against Spain in the final pre-tournament warm-up.
Iraq’s starting XI: Jalal Hassan; Akam Hashem, Zaid Tahseen, Merchas Doski, Hussein Ali; Ali Jassim, Amir Al-Ammari, Ibrahim Bayesh, Zaid Ismail; Aymen Hussein, Ali Al-Hamadi.
