Haaland marks Norway's first World Cup in 28 years with a brace in 4-1 win over Iraq

Erling Haaland announced himself on the World Cup stage with a brace as Norway defeated Iraq 4-1 in Boston, ending a 28-year absence from the tournament and signalling the Manchester City striker’s arrival as one of its headline acts.

Norway had not featured at a World Cup since 1998, while Iraq were appearing in only their second ever edition, having last qualified in 1986. Neither side looked out of their depth in what shaped up as one of the more open and entertaining matches of the early rounds.

Haaland had been the top scorer across all nations during World Cup qualifying, netting 16 goals for Norway, and arrived in North America off the back of a 38-goal club season. His absence from previous tournaments had long been cited as one of football’s more glaring omissions, and the 25-year-old wasted little time in justifying the anticipation — his aerial prowess, instinctive movement and relentless appetite for goals all on full display.

The result also carries broader significance for FIFA. The decision to expand the tournament to 48 teams has drawn sustained criticism, with a 108-match schedule spread across the United States, Canada and Mexico prompting accusations of excess. Norway and Iraq, both of whom qualified through the inter-confederation play-offs, offered a partial rebuttal — two nations that might not have been present under the old format, producing a match that delivered genuine quality and drama.

Earlier in the tournament, Kylian Mbappé had opened his 2026 campaign with a brace for France, and Haaland has now matched that tally at the first attempt. The parallel is unlikely to be lost on those tracking which of the two will emerge as the tournament’s dominant individual force.

Cape Verde’s draw against Spain earlier in the competition had already hinted at what the expanded format can produce when the underdog narrative lands. Norway versus Iraq added further evidence that the group stage, for all its logistical sprawl, is capable of delivering the spectacle the tournament’s architects promised.