Norway with Haaland, Portugal without Ronaldo qualify for 2026 FIFA World Cup
The national football teams of Norway and Portugal have joined the list of qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In their latest matches, the Norwegian team defeated Italy 4-1, and Portugal thrashed the Armenian team in Porto 9-1.
Norway’s national team statistics in the qualifiers are impressive. Eight victories in eight matches with a goal difference of 37:5, with 43% of the goals (16) scored by Erling Haaland. In Italy, at San Siro Stadium, the 25-year-old Manchester City forward scored a brace.
Pio Esposito of Inter Milan opened the scoring in the 11th minute. In the 63rd minute, Leipzig’s Antonio Nusa equalized. Later, in the 78th and 79th minutes, Haaland stood out, while the final score was set by Jørgen Strand Larsen of Wolves.
Italy, defeated at home, will face the playoff matches nevertheless. In turn, the Norwegian team is preparing for its fourth World Cup after 1938, 1994 and 1998. Notably, Alf-Inge Haaland, the father of today’s Norwegian star, played in the 1994 World Cup.
Portugal appealed against Cristiano Ronaldo’s red card in a match against Ireland. Without him, Portugal’s national team destroyed Armenia 9-1 (Renato Veiga 7’, Gonçalo Ramos 28’, João Neves 30’, 41’, 81’, Bruno Fernandes 45+3’ (P), 51’, 72’ (P); Eduard Spertsyan 18’). PSG’s João Neves and Manchester City’s Bruno Fernandes scored three goals each against Henri Avagyan of FC Pyunik.
This marks the ninth time Portugal will play in the World Cup, and the seventh in a row. The national team hasn’t achieved a result higher than third place.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. It will be the first edition featuring 48 national teams representing six confederations.
The participation quotas are as follows: 16 for Europe, 9.5 for Africa, 8.5 for Asia, 6.5 each for CONMEBOL and CONCACAF, and 1.5 for Oceania. The decimals indicate spots allocated through intercontinental playoffs.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup draw is scheduled for Dec. 5, 2025, in Washington, D.C.
Previously, FIFA unveiled the official match ball and mascots for the tournament.
