Erling Haaland will make his FIFA World Cup 2026 debut when Norway open their Group I campaign against Iraq — a nation appearing at the finals for the first time in 40 years.

The match kicks off at 11:00pm BST / 6:00pm ET, with free-to-air coverage available on BBC One in the UK and SBS On Demand in Australia.

Iraq's remarkable road to the finals

Iraq's qualification story is one of the most extraordinary of this tournament cycle. Appointed in May 2025, manager Graham Arnold inherited a squad on the brink of elimination from the AFC qualifying rounds and steered them through the third, fourth, and fifth rounds before a decisive inter-confederation playoff.

A 2-1 victory over Bolivia confirmed their place in North America — Iraq's first appearance at a World Cup since 1986. Arnold's side have since played three warmup friendlies, beating Andorra 1-0, drawing 1-1 with Spain on June 4, and losing 2-0 to Venezuela four days later. They enter Group I alongside Norway, France, and Senegal, facing a steep challenge in all three fixtures.

Norway arrive as dark horses

Ståle Solbakken's Norway were imperious in European qualifying, winning all eight of their matches to collect a perfect 24 points. They scored 37 goals and conceded just five across that campaign — a record that underlines their credentials as genuine tournament contenders.

Haaland leads the attack, and he could be flanked by Antonio Nusa and Alexander Sørloth, giving Norway one of the most potent forward lines at the tournament. In midfield, captain Martin Odegaard — the Arsenal playmaker — is expected to partner Sander Berge and Fredrik Aursnes.

Norway are appearing at a World Cup for the first time since 1998, when they reached the round of 16 in France. This edition, with Haaland in full flight, expectations are considerably higher.

Where to watch Iraq vs Norway

Fans in the UK can stream the match free on BBC iPlayer, while Australian supporters have access via SBS On Demand — no subscription required. Viewers in the US can watch on Fox or through streaming platforms including Fox One, YouTube TV, Hulu+Live TV, Fubo, Sling, and DirecTV. The match is also free to watch on RTÉ Player in Ireland, CazéTV on YouTube in Brazil, NOS in the Netherlands, RTBF/VRT in Belgium, SRF/RTS/RSI in Switzerland, and TRT in Turkey.

Prediction

Norway are heavy favourites and should control proceedings from the outset. Expect Haaland to open his World Cup account in a comfortable Norway victory — FourFourTwo predict Iraq 0-2 Norway.