France vs Norway at 2026 World Cup: Haaland impresses, but Les Bleus remain favorites

France will face Norway in its third group match at the 2026 World Cup, and observers agree on one point: Les Bleus are heavy favorites, even if Erling Haaland commands respect.

Former footballer and pundit Pierre Bouby delivered a straightforward analysis of Norway’s attacking power. “It doesn’t frighten me. It’s a fine team that had very interesting qualifiers. It’s a fine team, but to be afraid of it… ” Before concluding: “When I look at the eleven of Les Bleus and theirs, I tell myself there’s a world of difference.”

Norway completed its preparations with mixed results. On June 1st, it dominated Sweden (3-1), before drawing with Morocco (1-1) six days later — a Morocco that reached the 2022 World Cup semi-finals. Performances that illustrate both the potential and limitations of a squad still under construction.

Historically, the two nations have not faced each other since May 2014, when France won 4-0. Their three most recent meetings were all friendlies, making any serious projection of a competitive clash difficult.

Les Bleus will begin their World Cup on June 16th against Senegal, before taking on Iraq, then Norway. This third group match could be played with qualification already secured or, conversely, under pressure if previous results prove disappointing. Kylian Mbappé and his teammates will be keen to conclude the group stage with a victory, to approach the rest of the tournament in the best possible condition.