All eyes will be on Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland on Friday afternoon as the two superstars lead their teams into the final day of Group I play.
Norway must defeat France if they hope to claim the top spot in the group, but I’m expecting Les Bleus to claim victory in an entertaining affair.
Read on for my Norway vs. France predictions and World Cup picks for Friday’s match, with kickoff set for 3 p.m. ET on FOX.
Who will win France vs Norway: France (-145)
Norway were fortunate to get a victory over Senegal. The Lions of Teranga poured on the pressure, especially in the second half, as they pinned Norway back with 29% of their possession coming in the final third.
Senegal had chances late but couldn’t overcome the two goals they conceded in the quarter-hour after halftime. Erling Haaland’s tremendous run on the counter-attack was enough to give Norway all three points.
France’s defense has been outstanding, one of the reasons they’re currently -144 favorites.
William Saliba will know exactly how to handle Haaland. The two have had some very interesting battles in the Premier League while playing for Arsenal and Manchester City, respectively.
That familiarity gives France’s defense an edge. They’ve allowed one goal from just 20 touches inside their penalty area through two matches, with Mike Maignan having been tested just twice from 10 shots.
Norway has conceded three goals from just five efforts on target, and have been fortunate that their opponents have been accurate with only 18.5% of their shots.
They gain nothing by sitting back, which means they’ll need to take chances if they want to win the group. This will allow France to run at them much as Senegal did, but with more clinical and lethal finishers.
Playable up to -150.
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TOp pick
France vs Norway Over/Under pick: Over 2.5 (-149)
Norway’s xG per shot of 0.19 leads all nations after the first two matchdays, as they’ve bagged seven goals from just 25 attempts. Much of that is driven by Haaland, whose 0.27 xG per shot leads all players with at least five shots at World Cup 2026.
Haaland is tied with Mbappe with seven shots on target, just one behind Lionel Messi. The two are firmly entrenched in the Golden Boot race and are in fine form. With them on the pitch, I simply can’t see this being a low-scoring affair.
This match sets up for both teams to be able to play in space. Both nations love to run at their opponents, with forwards who are clinical and need just a sliver of daylight to find the back of the net.
France’s forward line has been clinical in this tournament. They’re also forcing mistakes and cashing in on them, with only Ecuador having more shots direct from high turnovers.
Additionally, France’s attacking depth is ridiculous. The players they can bring in after 60 minutes to put pressure on Norway’s back line bring a major goal threat, and will help drive this match into a higher-scoring affair—if we don’t already have three goals by that point.
Playable up to -160.
France vs Norway projected lineup
France (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Kounde, Upamecano, Saliba, Digne; Kone, Rabiot; Dembele, Olise, Barcola; Mbappe.
Norway (4-4-2): Nyland; Ryerson, Ajer, Heggem, Wolfe; Odegaard, Berge, Aursnes; Sorloth, Haaland, Nusa.
France vs Norway injuries
France: William Saliba (Questionable).
Norway: Julian Ryerson (Doubtful), Torbjorn Heggem (Questionable).
France vs Norway weather
Temperatures at kickoff will be in the high 80s with lots of sunshine. Winds will be between 8-14 mph, and there is a very slight chance of rain.
France vs Norway odds
| France | Norway | |
|---|---|---|
| -144 | Moneyline | +376 |
| +355 | Draw | +355 |
| Over 2.5 (-138) | Total | Under 2.5 (+133) |
Odds courtesy of Kalshi.
How to watch France vs Norway
Check out FIFA's official 2026 World Cup website for more information.
| Location | Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts |
| Date | Friday, June 26, 2026 |
| Time | 3 p.m. ET |
| TV | FOX |
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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