Norway close to qualifying for the 2026 World Cup

Victory over Estonia

Sharjah 24 – Asaad Khalil: Norway strengthened their World Cup hopes with a convincing win over Estonia, moving one step closer to securing a spot in the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Their final match against Italy on Sunday could mathematically confirm their qualification.

Group I standings and historical context

This result puts Norway on the brink of qualifying for the World Cup finals for the fourth time in history and the first time since 1998. The team now leads Group I with 21 points, three points ahead of Italy, who defeated Moldova with late goals from Gianluca Mancini and substitute Francesco Più Esposito.

Goal scorers

All four of Norway’s goals came in the second half. Alexander Sørloth scored twice in quick succession (50th and 52nd minutes), while Erling Haaland added a brace in the 56th and 62nd minutes. Haaland’s performance brought his tally to 14 goals in seven qualifying matches and 53 goals in 47 appearances for Norway. Estonia’s Robbie Sarma scored a consolation goal in the 64th minute.

Upcoming clash with Italy

Norway will face Italy at the San Siro, where the Italians have a historical advantage. Even if Norway loses, they still maintain a superior goal difference (+29 compared to Italy’s +12), keeping their qualification hopes strong.