Iraq and Norway both begin their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaigns on Tuesday as they go head-to-head in a Group I encounter.
Iraq vs Norway – Match preview and team news
- Date: Tuesday, 16th May.
- Kick-off: 11pm BST.
- Venue: Boston Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Iraq team news
Iraq’s national team enters the tournament with a completely clean bill of health across their entire twenty-six-man roster.
Head coach Graham Arnold has no major injury worries, allowing him to field his absolute strongest lineup. The team overcame a brief scare when star striker Aymen Hussein was detained for questioning at a Chicago airport upon arrival.
Hussein has since rejoined the squad, trained fully, and will spearhead the Iraqi attack. He will likely partner with Ali Al-Hamadi upfront.
In midfield, former Manchester United youth talent Zidane Iqbal is set to provide creativity and technical control next to the reliable Amir Al-Ammari.
Wide midfielders Ali Jasim and Ibrahim Bayesh will look to exploit spaces out wide. Defensively, goalkeeper Jalal Hassan will rely on a back four of Hussein Ali, Zaid Tahseen, Rebin Sulaka, and Merchas Doski to stop Norway.
Norway team news
Norway enters their 2026 FIFA World Cup opening match with a fully fit squad and immense attacking confidence.
Team captain and midfield maestro Martin Ødegaard has brushed off all prior fitness concerns, explicitly confirming he feels great and is ready to lead.
Manager Ståle Solbakken has also assured fans that superstar striker Erling Haaland is in peak physical form. Haaland recently turned heads by scoring a spectacular volley during the team’s final training session in Boston.
Norway will deploy an aggressive frontline, with Atletico Madrid’s physical forward Alexander Sørloth and Leipzig’s tricky winger Antonio Nusa flanking Haaland.
Örjan Nyland will start in goal, protected by a defensive line of Julian Ryerson, Kristoffer Ajer, Torbjørn Heggem, and David Møller Wolfe.
Sander Berge and Fredrik Aursnes will anchor the midfield alongside Ødegaard to complete a dangerous, star-studded lineup.
Form
Iraq
Iraq enters the tournament after proving their grit in highly competitive matches. They secured their World Cup spot with a thrilling 2-1 play-off victory over Bolivia. In their summer warm-up friendlies, they showed excellent defensive discipline. They earned a narrow 1-0 win against Andorra and held European giants Spain to a commendable 1-1 draw. However, a recent 2-0 defeat to Venezuela exposed some late tactical flaws they must fix.
Norway
Norway travels to Boston in fantastic form after a dominant qualifying run. They sealed their tournament place with an impressive 4-1 away victory over Italy. Their June warm-up games showed incredible attacking power, highlighted by a convincing 3-1 victory against regional rivals Sweden. While a tight 1-1 draw with Morocco halted their winning streak, the team remains undefeated in their last three outings and is full of confidence.
Predicted lineups
Iraq: Hassan; Ali, Tahseen, Sulaka, Doski; Al-Ammari, Iqbal; Bayesh, Jasim, Al-Hamadi; Hussein
Norway: Nyland; Ryerson, Ajer, Heggem, Wolfe; Odegaard, Berge, Aursnes; Sorloth, Haaland, Nusa
How to watch Iraq vs Norway?
In the UK, you can watch the Iraq vs Norway World Cup match live on BBC One and the BBC Red Button.
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