Last Updated on 17/06/2026 by TinHN Editor
Update Result Norway vs Iraq: Haaland scored twice on his World Cup debut — his 51st and 52nd goals in just 56 Norway appearances. Norway’s first World Cup win since 1994.
⚽ Full Time · Group I · June 17, 2026 · Gillette Stadium, Foxborough
🇳🇴 Norway 4 – 1 Iraq 🇮🇶
Norway: Haaland 29′, 43′ · Ostigard 76′ · Hussein (OG) 90’+7
Iraq: A. Hussein 39′
Haaland scored twice on his World Cup debut — his 51st and 52nd goals in just 56 Norway appearances. Norway’s first World Cup win since 1994.
Final Score: Norway 4–1 Iraq
Norway made a statement return to the World Cup after a 28-year absence, thrashing Iraq 4–1 in Foxborough. Erling Haaland scored twice on his World Cup debut, while Leo Ostigard added a third before Aymen Hussein’s late own goal completed the rout.
For Iraq, it was an emotional occasion — their first World Cup appearance in 40 years — and Aymen Hussein gave them a brief moment of hope with a brilliant header, only for Norway’s quality to prove too great.
Iraq vs Norway Highlights 🌎🏆2026 FIFA World Cup
Goals & Key Moments
- 29′ — Haaland 1–0: David Møller Wolfe plays a square ball across the box, Haaland taps in for his first-ever World Cup goal — his 51st in 56 Norway appearances.
- 39′ — Aymen Hussein 1–1: A brilliant header from the Iraqi captain levels the score and silences the Norway fans momentarily.
- 43′ — Haaland 2–1: Iraq goalkeeper Jalal Hassan hesitates fatally on a back-pass; Haaland presses and the keeper boots the ball directly into him. A gift, but Haaland takes it.
- 76′ — Ostigard 3–1: Ødegaard delivers a corner, Ostigard meets it perfectly to head home and end the contest.
- 90’+7 — Hussein OG 4–1: Haaland heads back across goal, Thorstvedt’s flick deflects off Hussein into his own net deep in stoppage time.
Match Summary Norway vs Iraq
Norway dominated from the start, with Haaland and Ødegaard combining well in the final third. Iraq defended compactly in the opening exchanges and created chances of their own — Ali Al-Hamadi fired over early and Hussein was a constant threat up front.
Haaland opened the scoring with a straightforward finish after cutting Norway loose down the left in the 29th minute. Iraq hit back immediately through Hussein’s superb header, but Norway restored their lead before half-time when Haaland capitalised on a catastrophic goalkeeping error from the Iraqi captain Jalal Hassan.
The second half saw Iraq push for an equaliser — Hussein headed wide at 53′, Hussein Ali lifted a shot onto the roof of the net at 65′ — but Norway absorbed the pressure and struck on the counter. Ostigard’s header from an Ødegaard corner made it 3–1 in the 76th minute, before Hussein’s own goal in stoppage time sealed a commanding victory.
Group I Standings After Matchday 1
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | France | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
| 2 | Norway | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| 3 | Senegal | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 4 | Iraq | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
What’s Next — Group I
- June 22 — Iraq vs France (Philadelphia) | Norway vs Senegal (June 23, early hours)
- June 26 — Iraq vs Senegal (Toronto) | Norway vs France
Background: Historic Returns
Norway last appeared at a World Cup in France 1998, exiting in the Round of 16. Their squad this time is built around Erling Haaland — who entered the tournament with 49 Norway goals in 54 appearances and 16 qualifying goals, the most in Europe — and captain Martin Ødegaard, whose creativity was central to every Norway attack.
Iraq last played at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, losing all three group games. They qualified via the inter-confederation playoffs, beating Bolivia 2–1. Striker Aymen Hussein — who notably was detained and questioned for seven hours by US authorities on arrival — led the line with energy and scored a superb equaliser to give Iraq their moment.