Match prediction · Group I · June 16, 2026
Iraq vs Norway Prediction
June 16 · 6:00 PM ET · Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA · World Cup 2026 Group I
Predicted Score
Norway 2–1 Iraq — Norway, our tournament dark horse, begin their World Cup campaign with a nervy but important win. Haaland gets on the scoresheet.
Match Details
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Date | June 16, 2026 |
| Kick-off | 6:00 PM ET / 11:00 PM BST |
| Venue | Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts |
| Group | Group I |
| TV (US) | FOX / Telemundo |
Prediction & Analysis
Norway are our dark horse pick for World Cup 2026 — the team we believe can cause the biggest upsets in the knockout stages. Erling Haaland is arguably the world's best striker right now, and a tournament built on compact defending and fast transitions suits Norway perfectly.
Iraq are at the World Cup for only the second time in their history (their first appearance was 1986) and their qualification alone is a remarkable achievement. They are an Asian-standard outfit with genuine passion and organisation, but the quality gap against Norway is significant. Iraq are predicted to be eliminated in the group stage.
Norway should win this, though Iraq's compact shape may make it uncomfortable early. Once Norway find their rhythm — feeding Haaland balls into the box and running in behind — the goals should come.
- Norway key threat: Erling Haaland in the box — the best finisher in the world at his peak.
- Iraq to watch: low-block defensive shape — organised and hard to break down initially.
- Deciding factor: set-pieces — Norway are a dangerous set-piece team and Iraq will struggle with Haaland's aerial ability.
Predicted Group I Final Standings
| Position | Team | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | France | Qualify for Round of 32 |
| 2nd | Norway | Qualify for Round of 32 |
| 3rd | Senegal | Qualify as best third-place team |
| 4th | Iraq | Eliminated |