Norway will face Ivory Coast in the eighth final of the World Cup this afternoon.
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In the first ever meeting between Ivory Coast and Norway, they are the European favorites, according to the Opta supercomputer. Norway has been given a 56.1 percent chance of winning within 90 minutes, while Ivory Coast has only 21.6 percent. When it comes to qualifying, the numbers are 68.1–31.9 in Norway’s favour.
After making ten changes in the match against France, Solbakken is back at it – he is once again making ten changes for today’s game. The only survivor of the loss to France is Berg, who is now joined by Ødegaard and Berge in midfield. Haaland is back in the starting eleven for his first World Cup knockout match. Norway is the first country ever to make ten or more changes to the starting eleven in two World Cup matches in a row in a single edition.
Ivory Coast coach Emerse Faé makes three changes from the team that beat Curaçao 2-0. Two changes come in the back row, with Konan and Agbadou joining the team. Oulai is also back from the start, while Diallo, Operi and Ousmane Diomandé are all relegated to the bench.
NORWAY’S SUBSTITUTES: Morten Thorsby, Leo Østigård, Jørgen Strand Larsen, Sander Tangvik, Egil Selvik, Fredrik Aursnes, Fredrik Bjørkan, Kristian Thorstvedt, Thelo Aasgaard, Andreas Schjelderup, Oscar Bobb, Jens Petter Hauge, Sondre Langås, Henrik Falchener, Julian Ryerson.
NORWAY (4-3-3): Ørjan Nyland – Marcus Pedersen, Kristoffer Ajer, Torbjørn Heggem, David Møller Wolfe – Martin Ødegaard, Sander Berge, Patrick Berg – Alexander Sørloth, Erling Haaland, Antonio Nusa.
CÔTE D’IVOIRE SUBSTITUTES: Alban Lafont, Mohamed Koné, Evan N’Dicka, Wilfried Singo, Jean Michael Seri, Séko Fofana, Bazoumana Touré, Elye Wahi, Evan Guessand, Oumar Diakité, Parfait Guiagon, Simon Adingra, Amad Diallo, Christopher Operi, Ousmane Diomandé.
Côte d’Ivoire (4-1-4-1): Yahia Fofana – Guéla Doué, Odilon Kossounou, Emmanuel Agbadou, Ghislain Konan – Ibrahim Sangaré – Nicolas Pépé, Franck Kessié, Christ Inao Oulai, Yan Diomandé – Ange-Yoan Bonny.
After Solbakken’s controversial decision to make ten changes to the starting eleven against France, Norway lost – meaning they finished second in the group. The loss to France was only their second in their last 19 games, and they have not lost two games in a row since September 2022. This will be Norway’s third World Cup knockout match ever – they have lost their previous two 2-1 both times against Italy, in 1938 and 1998.
Ivory Coast have reached the knockout stages of the World Cup for the first time and are looking to break even more barriers today. Les Éléphants have won two out of three games in this championship and finished second in their group. Ivory Coast have scored the opening goal in all three World Cup matches in 2026 and were only down for three minutes and 29 seconds throughout the group stage – in the loss to Germany.
PRE-MATCH INSIGHTS
- Norway have won their last six away games in a row.
- Three or more goals have been scored in each of Norway’s last seven games.
MATCH PREVIEW
Ivory Coast will face Norway on Tuesday in a World Cup quarter-final at Dallas Stadium.
Ivory Coast beat Curaçao 2-0 in their last group game on June 25. Nicolas Pépé was the only scorer with two goals. In eight games this year, they have six wins and two losses.
Norway’s last group game ended with a 4-1 loss to France on June 26 at Boston Stadium – their first loss in the tournament. Thelo Aasgaard scored Norway’s only goal. In 2026, they have won three, drawn two and lost two.
Both teams finished second in their respective groups with six points.
Pépé has been the Ivory Coast’s big profile in the World Cup. He is their top scorer with two goals, one of which was the first of the game. Erling Haaland has been Norway’s most productive player with four goals in the tournament, including one goal in the opening game. He is tied for second on the tournament’s top scorers list.
Both teams have scored in all their matches in the tournament so far.
In their last six games in all competitions, Ivory Coast have won five and lost one – with 11 goals scored and three conceded. Norway has won three, drawn two and lost one – with 12 goals scored and nine conceded.
Norway will try to match their best World Cup performance and reach the last eight when they face Ivory Coast in Dallas this afternoon. Ståle Solbakken’s men stormed through Group I with victories over Iraq and Senegal, before losing 4-1 to France in their last game and finishing second behind Les Bleus.
The main attraction has been Erling Haaland, who scored four goals in the group stage and once again showed why he is considered one of the most dangerous strikers in world football.
Emerse Faé’s Ivory Coast arrived at the tournament in strong form and successfully navigated a difficult Group E. Les Éléphants opened with a 1-0 win over Ecuador, suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat to Germany (in which they led through Franck Kessié before eventually losing), before responding 2-0 over Curaçao – thanks to two goals from Nicolas Pépé – to secure second place.
Key figures for Côte d’Ivoire vs. Norway
- Ivory Coast is in the World Cup knockout rounds for the first time in history.
- They conceded only two goals in three group games.
- Ivory Coast kept a clean sheet against Ecuador and Curaçao.
- Nicolas Pépé scored both goals in the 2-0 win over Curaçao.
- Franck Kessié has been directly involved in two of Ivory Coast’s three goals in the tournament.
- Ivory Coast have won five of their last six games in all competitions.
- Norway scored eight goals in three group games – an average of 2.67 per game.
- Erling Haaland scored four goals in the group stage and has 59 goals in 52 caps.
- Norway has only one clean sheet in their last ten games.
- Both teams scored in all of Norway’s group stage matches.
- Martin Ødegaard has contributed to goals in each of Norway’s victories in the tournament.
- Norway is playing its first World Cup knockout match since the quarter-finals in 1998.
