Group · Match 18FIFA World Cup 2026
Iraq
Manager: Graham Arnold
FT1 – 4
Norway
Manager: Ståle Solbakken
39' A. Hussein
29' E. Haaland43' E. Haaland76' L. Østigård90+6' A. Hussein (OG)
Boston Stadium · Tuesday, 16 June 2026 · 23:00 · FT · Norway won after full-time.
Sanstari Daily Market Bulletin
Iraq4-4-2
Confirmed lineup
Norway4-4-2
125.2
J. Hassan
176.8↓73'
A. Jasim
236.8
M. Doski
166.6
A. Al-Ammari
246.5↓59'
Z. Ismail
36.2↓73'
H. Ali
45.6
Z. Tahseen
56.3
A. Hashem
86.4↓78'
I. Bayesh
187.2
A. Hussein
⚽
97.0↓59'
A. Al-Hamadi
146.6↓73'
F. Aursnes
206.5↓73'
A. Nusa
16.5
Ø. Nyland
176.8
T. Heggem
36.8
K. Ajer
56.9↓73'
D. Wolfe
76.3↓73'
A. Sørloth
87.0
S. Berge
9★8.2
E. Haaland
⚽⚽
266.8
J. Ryerson
107.2↓81'
M. Ødegaard
Substitutions
59' ▲ Marko Farji ▼ Ali Al-Hamadi
59' ▲ Zidane Iqbal ▼ Zaid Ismail
73' ▲ Ahmed Qasem ▼ Ali Jasim
73' ▲ Mustafa Saadoon ▼ Hussein Ali
78' ▲ Mohanad Ali ▼ Ibrahim Bayesh
73' ▲ Oscar Bobb  ▼ Alexander Sørloth
73' ▲ Leo Østigård ▼ David Møller Wolfe
73' ▲ Andreas Schjelderup ▼ Antonio Nusa
73' ▲ Kristian Thorstvedt ▼ Fredrik Aursnes
81' ▲ Patrick Berg ▼ Martin Ødegaard
Match stats

Team totals

Iraq v Norway · full-time
State
FULL-TIME
IraqNorway
38.3%
Possession
61.7%
11
Shots
13
1
Shots on target
5
2
Corners
5
11
Fouls
13
1
Cards
0
Full-time

Match report

Norway Claims Three Points in World Cup Opener Against Iraq

Norway secured a victory at Boston Stadium against Iraq in their first match of the World Cup. The match ended with a final score of 4-1, following a 2-1 first half score.

Norway took the lead just before the half-time whistle as Erling Haaland scored again.

1-4 came through an own-goal in the 90th minute, which was the final result.

Iraq play France on 22 June and Senegal on 26 June. Norway's next opponents are Senegal on 23 June and France on 26 June.

Leo Østigård increased Norway's lead with an assist by Martin Ødegaard in the 76th minute.

There was no real shape to the match until Norway took the lead just before the half-hour mark through Erling Haaland who got on the scoresheet with an assist by David Møller Wolfe making it 0-1.

Iraq equalised to make it 1-1 as Aymen Hussein converted played in by Amir Al-Ammari in the 39th minute.

Match stats

Advanced

Iraq v Norway · full-time
State
FULL-TIME
1.46
Expected goals (xG)
2.66
0.87
xG on target
2.29
1
Big chances created
5
Match stats

Player Ratings

32 players · ★ man of the match
Source
MATCH DATA
Iraq
Aymen Hussein
Aymen Hussein
90' · 1G · 3 shots · 1 KP
7.20
Ali Al-Hamadi
Ali Al-Hamadi
59' · 3 shots · 1 KP · 2 tkl
6.98
Merchas Doski
Merchas Doski
90' · 1 KP · 6 tkl
6.81
Ali Jasim
Ali Jasim
74' · 2 KP · 1 tkl
6.75
Amir Al-Ammari
Amir Al-Ammari
90' · 1A · 3 KP
6.63
Zidane Iqbal
Zidane Iqbal
31'
6.53
Zaid Ismail
Zaid Ismail
59' · 5 tkl
6.53
Mohanad Ali
Mohanad Ali
12'
6.45
Ahmed Qasem
Ahmed Qasem
16' · 1 tkl
6.43
Ibrahim Bayesh
Ibrahim Bayesh
78' · 1 shots · 1 KP · 1 tkl
6.39
Akam Hashem
Akam Hashem
90' · 1 shots
6.32
Marko Farji
Marko Farji
31' · 1 tkl
6.27
Hussein Ali
Hussein Ali
74' · 1 shots
6.20
Mustafa Saadoon
Mustafa Saadoon
16' · 2 tkl
6.20
Zaid Tahseen
90' · 2 shots
5.57
Jalal Hassan
Jalal Hassan
90'
5.18
Norway
Erling Haaland
Erling Haaland★
90' · 2G · 5 shots · 1 KP
8.21
Leo Østigård
Leo Østigård
17' · 1G · 2 shots
7.29
Martin Ødegaard
Martin Ødegaard
81' · 1A · 1 shots · 1 KP · 2 tkl
7.20
Sander Berge
Sander Berge
90' · 1 tkl
6.95
David Møller Wolfe
David Møller Wolfe
73' · 1A · 1 KP · 1 tkl
6.87
Julian Ryerson
Julian Ryerson
90' · 3 KP · 4 tkl
6.85
Kristoffer Ajer
Kristoffer Ajer
90' · 1 tkl
6.81
Torbjørn Heggem
Torbjørn Heggem
90' · 1 tkl
6.78
Kristian Thorstvedt
Kristian Thorstvedt
17' · 2 shots · 1 tkl
6.64
Oscar Bobb
Oscar Bobb
17' · 1 KP · 1 tkl
6.64
Fredrik Aursnes
Fredrik Aursnes
73' · 2 tkl
6.60
Antonio Nusa
Antonio Nusa
73' · 1 tkl
6.51
Patrick Berg
Patrick Berg
9' · 1 tkl
6.50
Andreas Schjelderup
Andreas Schjelderup
17' · 1 KP
6.48
Ørjan Nyland
Ørjan Nyland
90'
6.45
Alexander Sørloth
Alexander Sørloth
73' · 2 shots · 1 KP
6.33
Dugout

Coaches in focus

Arnold v Solbakken · head coaches
Record
Last 12 months with club, all competitions. Penalty shootouts count at the score after extra time.
Coach
Graham Arnold
Iraq · Since May 2025
Record
Only 0 matches with Iraq so far
Coach
Ståle Solbakken
Norway · Since Dec 2020
Record
Only 0 matches with Norway so far
Nations oddsTournament · Group
Iraq
3 markets
vs
Norway
3 markets
2001Oddschecker (best price)
Tournament Winner
151Oddschecker (best price)
81.00Oddschecker (best price)
Group Winner
4.00Oddschecker (best price)
6.00Oddschecker (best price)
Qualify Top 2
1.20Oddschecker (best price)
Qualifying statsCampaign · Overall
Iraq vs Norway
20 qualifiers · 8 qualifiers
IraqNorway
1.5Goals for4.6
0.7Goals ag.0.6
35%BTTS %50%
35%Over 2.5 %88%
60%Clean sheet50%
20%Failed to score0%
Referee
P. Atcho
Profile on Cards tab

Recent Results · Qualifying Games

Win Draw Loss
Iraq
  • 2-1HBolivia1 Apr
  • 2-1HUnited Arab Emirates18 Nov
  • 1-1AUnited Arab Emirates13 Nov
  • 0-0ASaudi Arabia14 Oct
  • 1-0HIndonesia11 Oct
  • 1-0AJordan10 Jun
  • 0-2HKorea Republic5 Jun
  • 1-2APalestine25 Mar
  • 2-2HKuwait20 Mar
  • 1-0AOman19 Nov
Norway
  • 4-1AItaly16 Nov
  • 4-1HEstonia13 Nov
  • 5-0HIsrael11 Oct
  • 11-1HMoldova9 Sept
  • 1-0AEstonia9 Jun
  • 3-0HItaly6 Jun
  • 4-2AIsrael25 Mar
  • 5-0AMoldova22 Mar
Market streaksLast 10 · hit / miss
BTTS YesBoth teams to score
League avg53%
Iraq
overall
5/10
Norway
overall
4/8
Over 2.5 goalsTotal goals 3+
League avg57%
Iraq
overall
4/10
Norway
overall
7/8
Over 1.5 goalsTotal goals 2+
Iraq
overall
6/10
Norway
overall
7/8