Norway versus Senegal
- Kick-off:
- Stadium: MetLife Stadium · New York/New Jersey, United States
Norway
Norway return for their first tournament since 1998, ending a 28-year exile in the most spectacular way possible: with Erling Haaland (Manchester City) leading the line. The Premier League's most prolific striker is the engine but not alone — Martin Ødegaard (Arsenal) supplies the creativity, Antonio Nusa (RB Leipzig) and Oscar Bobb (Manchester City) offer pace, Sander Berge (Fulham) anchors midfield. Ståle Solbakken, retained through qualification, has shifted to a more direct 4-3-3 that maximises Haaland's touch in the box. The Norwegian footballing public has waited a generation for this. Group I with France, Senegal and Iraq is dangerous, but Norway's ceiling is genuinely high — second place is achievable, and an upset of France is not unthinkable.
Senegal
Senegal arrive at their fourth tournament — third consecutive — and as the most credible African contender. Pape Thiaw, who took over from Aliou Cissé in 2024, retains the structure that delivered the 2022 round of 16 and the 2021 Africa Cup. Sadio Mané (Al-Nassr), Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal) and Édouard Mendy (Al-Ahli) form the spine; Ismaïla Sarr (Crystal Palace) and Iliman Ndiaye (Everton) inject Premier League pace; Pape Matar Sarr (Tottenham) is the midfield future. The Lions of Teranga have the squad to make a deep run but lost AFCON 2025 in the round of 16, raising questions. Group I with France, Norway and Iraq is brutal — second place is the realistic target, but it requires beating Norway and not collapsing against France.
MetLife Stadium
MetLife Stadium hosts the 2026 final on July 19, the climax of the 48-team tournament in North America. Located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, just outside New York City, the venue seats 82,500 for football matches and is shared by NFL franchises Giants and Jets. The stadium has been retrofitted from artificial turf to a hybrid natural-grass surface specifically for the tournament. Beyond the final, MetLife stages eight matches in total, including a semi-final, ensuring the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area remains the tournament's symbolic centre across the entire month-long competition. Climate: warm, humid summer days; humidity peaks in mid-July. The pitch is fully open-air. The choice of MetLife for the final reflected commercial weight, transit access, and the global resonance of New York more than pure footballing prestige.