Erling Haaland will not start Norway's World Cup Group I qualifier against France, with coach Stale Solbakken planning to rest as many as ten players for the fixture, sources have told ESPN.

The Manchester City striker is expected to begin the match on the bench as Solbakken rotates his squad ahead of what are likely to be more demanding fixtures. Norway face a France side led by Kylian Mbappe — one of the world's most formidable opponents — making the squad rotation decision all the more striking.

The decision to rest Haaland, the most recognisable name in Norwegian football, signals that Solbakken is managing his players' workloads carefully across the qualification campaign rather than chasing a single result.