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Iraq and Norway will get their World Cup campaigns underway on Tuesday, 16 June, when they meet at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough.
For both nations, it's a first appearance at a World Cup finals this century, which makes this a special occasion for not only the generation of players on the pitch, but also those tuning in from Iraq and Norway.
Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions, as well as our best World Cup betting offers.
Iraq vs Norway key stats
- Norway have lost just one match since October 2024.
- Iraq have lost three of their last six matches.
- Erling Haaland has scored 16 goals in his last 10 appearances for Norway.
Iraq vs Norway preview: The start of the Haaland show?
| Iraq | vs | Norway |
|---|---|---|
| 57th | FIFA Ranking | 31st |
| Jalal Hassan (102) | Most Caps | Alexander Sorloth (72) |
| Aymen Hussein (33) | Most Goals | Erling Haaland (55) |
| 827 | Total Caps | 827 |
| 89 | Total Goals | 89 |
| 0 | Uncapped Players | 1 |
The term ‘golden generation' is likely to send shivers down the spines of England and Belgium supporters, but it's a term befitting the current group of Norwegian stars.
They possess arguably the best striker in the world, in Erling Haaland, but not everything is geared towards getting the Man City striker the ball. Atletico Madrid's Alexander Sorloth is a viable goal threat himself, while Martin Odegaard is the player who makes them tick in the middle of the park, even after a mixed season for Arsenal.
Stale Solbakken's side were excellent during qualifying, winning all eight of their fixtures to top their group six points ahead of Italy. Although their form has tailed off in the four friendlies they have played since securing qualification (one win, two draws, one defeat), a return to competitive action should see them raise their game.
Solbakken will be buoyed by the news that Odegaard is fit to play from the start on Tuesday night, and the rest of his squad is fighting fit, too. As a result, we are expecting to see the starting XI that he considers his best.
As for Iraq, excitement would have perhaps turned into dread when they were drawn into Group I alongside Norway, France and Senegal. Their status as group outsiders is clear, but that could free them up, given that expectations are on the floor.
They shouldn't be treated lightly, though. After all, they came through a playoff against Bolivia to get here, a side that defeated Brazil as recently as September.
The current crop of players will be hoping to perform better than the Iraqi group that qualified for the tournament in 1986. Back then, the Lions of Mesopotamia failed to pick up a single point and scored just one goal.
For the start of their campaign on Tuesday, manager Graham Arnold will be looking towards his experienced players to make life difficult for Norway. That includes goalkeeper Jalal Hassan, who is in line for his 103rd cap.
Iraq vs Norway form guide & betting tips
| Iraq | vs | Norway |
|---|---|---|
LWWDL |
Form | WLDWd |
| 4 | Goals For | 9 |
| 5 | Goals Against | 5 |
N/A |
World Cup | N/A |
Whispers predicts: Iraq 1-3 Norway
Norway are not only in better form than Iraq, but also the majority of teams at the World Cup. Norway to win with a -1.5 handicap has been priced at 8/13.
Iraq have scored at least one goal in three of their last four matches, including one against Spain. BTTS has been priced at 6/4.
Erling Haaland averaged two goals per match during World Cup qualifying. Haaland to score 2+ goals has been priced at 12/5.
> Both teams to score at 6/4 (2.50) | Likelihood: Possible
> Norway to win (-1.5 handicap) at 8/13 (1.62) | Likelihood: Probable
> Haaland to score 2+ goals at 12/5 (3.40) | Likelihood: Possible