Following 28 years of absence, Norway have returned to a World Cup for the 2026 edition. Led by head coach Ståle Solbakken, they have built a highly competitive team where Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard lead on the pitch. After their opening victory against Iraq, they positioned themselves very well to reach the knockout stages. In addition, they moved up several positions in the FIFA World Ranking before facing Senegal.
Ahead of today’s clash, Norway are ranked 27th spot with 1,577.18 points, as per FIFA Men’s World Ranking. With their latest victory over Iraq, they escalated four spots. Under head coach Stale Solbakken, they have managed to significantly improve their international standing, compared to their 88th spot from July of 2017. However, they have yet to match their highest-ever ranking, which was 2nd on October of 1993.
With their impressive impact in the 2026 World Cup, Norway remain the second lowest-ranked national team in their group. France currently hold the 2nd spot with 1887.11points. Senegal hold the 17th spot with 1667.66 points. Finally, Iraq remain the lowest-ranked national team in the group, holding the 60th spot with 1426.53 points.
Norway have managed to build a highly promising sporting project. Led by Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard, they have managed to establish a very solid team. Although they do not usually dominate possession, they are very efficient on the counterattack, with the pace of Antonio Nusa. In addition, Haaland and Alexander Sørloth are dominant in aerial play, making them very dangerous.
Erling Haaland #9 of Norway.
Norway could struggle vs Senegal’s overwhelming dominance
After defeating Iraq, Norway seem to be in a strong position to secure their place in the knockout stages of the 2026 World Cup. However, they could face one of their most difficult matches against Senegal. As a team that does not aim to dominate possession and relies heavily on aerial play and counterattacks, they could clash significantly with Sadio Mané’s team, which excels in possession-based soccer and creative attacking play.
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How to watch Norway vs Senegal in USA: 2026 Tournament, Live Stream, TV & Preview
Despite Senegal’s defeat against France, they showed strong competitive ability, complicating the game in several aspects. Against a rival like Norway, who does not seek possession, they could find an ideal scenario to launch a high-quality attacking approach. However, Ståle Solbakken’s team could rely on efficient counterattacks, exploiting the spaces left by the African team’s high press, where Erling Haaland would shine at his best.
