Norway Starting Lineup for Group I Finale vs. France After Norweigans Reportedly Sitting Haaland, Ødegaard, and More
Norway is expected to rotate heavily against France in its Group I finale, reportedly benching Erling Haaland, Martin Ødegaard and several other first-choice starters. With France’s odds moving from -200 to -270 after the news, Kylian Mbappe and company may be walking into a far softer matchup than expected.
Peter Alexis - June 26, 2026, 1:25 PM EDT
3 Minute ReadNorway vs France Prediction: Will Mbappe, France Crush Norway After Sitting Haaland and Other Stars in Group I Finale?
Norway faces France on Friday, June 26, in the final Group I match of the 2026 World Cup. Both teams enter on six points, but France leads the group on goal differential, meaning Norway needs to win to steal first place.
Instead, Norway appears set to rotate almost its entire starting XI. The decision is being framed as rotation ahead of the knockout rounds, but it also gives France a much clearer path to win the group and potentially sends Norway toward a tougher Round of 32 draw against Ivory Coast, with Brazil potentially waiting soon after.
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Norway vs. France Odds
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Norway vs. France Date, Time, and Where to Watch
- Date: Friday, June 26th, 2026
- Time: 3:00 PM ET
- Where: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
- How to Watch: FOX, Telemundo, FOX One
Norway vs France New Probable Lineups
Norway (4-3-3): Egil Selvik – Fredrik Aursnes, Leo Østigård, Henrik Falchener, Fredrik Bjørkan – Thelo Aasgaard, Patrick Berg, Kristian Thorstvedt – Oscar Bobb, Jørgen Strand Larsen and Andreas Schjelderup.
France (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Hernández, Upamecano, Saliba, Koundé; Rabiot, Tchouaméni; Doué, Olise, Dembélé; Mbappé
Norway vs. France Betting Trends
Here are the latest betting trends for this Norway vs. France match, as you try to find your favorite betting angle for the game. Powered by Oddschecker+ Trends Tool to bring you the best AI advantage for the World Cup.
Norway’s Reported Starting Lineup Now
Egil Selvik is expected to start in goal, with Fredrik Aursnes, Leo Østigård, Henrik Falchener and Fredrik Bjørkan across the back line. The midfield would feature Thelo Aasgaard, Patrick Berg and Kristian Thorstvedt, while Oscar Bobb, Jørgen Strand Larsen and Andreas Schjelderup lead the attack.
That is a massive shift from the usual starting group of Nyland; Wolfe, Heggem, Ajer, Pedersen; Aursnes, Berge, Ødegaard; Nusa, Haaland and Sørloth. Nearly all of Norway’s main stars are expected to begin on the bench, including the two most important players in the team, Haaland and Ødegaard.
The change completely alters the matchup. Norway’s first-choice XI gives France real problems because Haaland can punish one defensive mistake, Ødegaard can control transition moments, and Nusa and Sørloth give the attack vertical threat. This rotated group still has talent, but it does not carry the same fear factor.
What The Rotation Means
Norway may argue this is about protecting legs, especially with the Round of 32 already secured and a short turnaround ahead. There is logic in not overextending players who carried the group-stage workload, particularly if there were fitness or cramping concerns after the Senegal match.
Still, the decision is hard to defend competitively. Norway is not already locked into first place. It can still win the group by beating France, and doing so could create a much more favorable knockout path. Benching Haaland, Ødegaard and most of the first-choice group makes that far less likely.
The one caveat is that this could become a halftime plan. If Norway is tied or within one goal, Haaland, Ødegaard, Nusa or Sørloth could still enter and turn the final 30 minutes into a real push. But starting without them gives France the early control and puts Norway in chase mode before the match even begins.
France Odds Movement
The market reacted immediately, with France moving from -200 to -270 after the rotation news. That kind of shift makes sense because Norway without Haaland and Ødegaard is a completely different opponent.
France already had the deeper squad and only needed to protect its goal-differential edge to win the group. Now, with Mbappe, Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembele and other attacking options expected to face a rotated Norway side, the favorite has an even clearer path to control possession and create chances.
Mbappe is the biggest beneficiary. Instead of facing a Norway team that can threaten constantly on the break through Haaland, France may get more territory, more possession and more sustained attacking pressure. If Norway’s second-choice back line struggles with pace and movement, this could become a showcase spot for France’s front line.
Norway vs. France Lineup Summary
Norway’s reported rotation turns a must-watch Haaland vs. Mbappe group-title duel into something much more lopsided on paper. The starters can still make it competitive, and the bench gives Norway emergency firepower, but the opening XI suggests the priority is rest rather than chasing first place.
France should be expected to take advantage. The odds move to -270 reflects the new reality: Norway is still dangerous if the stars come on late, but France now has the early matchup edge, the group-table edge and the attacking firepower to make this decision look very costly.
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