Norway goalkeeper confirms sickness bug days before World Cup quarter-final against England

Orjan Nyland has confirmed that a sickness bug is affecting the Norway squad in the days leading up to their FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final against England on Saturday.

The goalkeeper told James Corden that the illness is real and ongoing. “I can confirm that it’s true, we’ve had our issues, we’re doing the best we can and the team doctor is very busy at the moment,” Nyland said. “I have no idea what the source was, we did have some time off so maybe someone contracted something. Hopefully everything goes well and we face England with a fully rested squad on Saturday.”

Norway booked their place in the last eight by stunning Brazil on Sunday, with Erling Haaland scoring a late brace in a result that marked the first time the country has ever reached the World Cup quarter-final stage. The victory has established them as one of the tournament’s dark horses, and Haaland’s form means England cannot afford to take them lightly despite the health concerns in the opposition camp.

The sickness issue is not new to Norway’s tournament. Marcus Holmgren Pedersen missed the historic win over Brazil due to illness, while Crystal Palace striker Jorgen Strand Larsen was absent from Norway’s opening group game for the same reason. Manager Stale Solbakken acknowledged the problem after his side’s 4-1 defeat to France in their final group fixture, noting: “There’s been a bit of coughing and rasping evenly, scattered throughout. But there’s air conditioning, flights, changing rooms and all that. We’re over 50 people so it would be strange if one or the other didn’t come.”

Norwegian outlet Dagbladet has reported that the extensive travel schedule has contributed to the fatigue and illness in the squad. Norway are based in Greensboro, North Carolina, but have played matches in Boston, New Jersey, and Dallas across the tournament — a logistical burden that Solbakken’s coaching staff are managing alongside the medical situation.

Whether the bug will force further absences for the quarter-final remains to be seen, but Nyland’s candid assessment suggests the Norway camp is not yet out of the woods heading into one of the most significant matches in the nation’s footballing history.