The Iraq vs Norway Group I encounter of the FIFA World Cup 2026 finished with a 4-1 scoreline in favour of Norway, who returned to the tournament after 28 years.
Key Match Stats of Iraq vs Norway (FIFA World Cup 2026: Group I)
Match Result: Iraq 1 – 4 Norway
Possession: Iraq 34% – 57% Norway (9% in Contest)
Shots (On Target): Iraq 11 (1) – 11 (5) Norway
Corners Won: Iraq 4 – 1 Norway
Free Kicks: Iraq 13 – 13 Norway
- It was the biggest World Cup win for Norway, who played their first World Cup match after 1998. In fact, it was their first World Cup match when they scored more than two goals.
FIFA World Cup 2026 (Group I): Iraq vs Norway Official Match Stats
Important Moments of Iraq vs Norway (FIFA World Cup 2026: Group I)
- In the 29th minute, Norway got the 1-0 lead, as Erling Haaland scored his first World Cup goal on his tournament debut. David Møller Wolfe delivered a good grounded cross from inside the box to near the goal, and Haaland didn’t miss that opportunity.
- In the 39th minute, Iraq equalised the scoreline, as Aymen Hussein’s perfect header on a cross managed to beat the goalie to make the scoreline 1-1.
- Iraq’s defence laziness cost them heavily, as Erling Haaland grabbed that opportunity with his aggressive running and helped Norway regain the lead in the 43rd minute (2-1).
- A corner resulted in Norway’s third goal in the game, which was recorded in the 76th minute. Leo Østigard’s header following a corner hit the top left corner, while the defence had no chance to stop it.
- The match ended with a 4-1 scoreline for Norway after Aymen Hussein scored an own goal in the last stoppage time of the second half, while attempting to clear the danger.
The Match Status: Iraq vs Norway (FIFA World Cup 2026: Group I)
The scoreline can’t tell the actual story of the game. Iraq had strong momentum in the first half despite conceding two goals, while Norway settled the momentum in the last 30 minutes of the game. However, Iraq’s main issue was wasting their chances through the off-target. Out of 11 shots from both teams in the entire game, Iraq managed only one on target, and Norway recorded five on target. Moreover, Iraq’s defence made some poor mistakes, which cost them badly.
FIFA World Cup 2026: Group I Complete Schedule
What does the Iraq vs Norway (FIFA World Cup 2026: Group I) match mean?
As expected, Erling Haaland’s Norway started the FIFA World Cup 2026 journey dominantly, as their 4-1 win has put them in a healthy position in the early Group I points table. Earlier in the day, France began Group I with a 3-1 win against Senegal.