Norway will take on Ivory Coast in a Round of 32 match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Tuesday, with the winner set to face Brazil in the Round of 16.
Norway marked their return to the FIFA World Cup after a 28-year absence in impressive fashion, kicking off their 2026 campaign with a commanding 4-1 victory over Iraq. The Vikings followed it up with a hard-fought 3-2 win over Senegal to secure back-to-back victories and book their place in the knockout stage.
However, Martin Odegaard's side saw their perfect start come to an end in their final Group I fixture, suffering a heavy 4-1 defeat to two-time champions France and, thereby, finishing second in Group I.
The 2026 edition marks only Norway's fourth appearance at the FIFA World Cup, having previously qualified in 1938, 1994 and 1998. Their best performance came in France in 1998, when they reached the Round of 16, and the current generation will be hoping to emulate-or better-that achievement as they prepare for the knockout rounds.
Ivory Coast also made their fourth appearance at the tournament, having previously featured in 2006, 2010 and 2014. Making their first World Cup appearance in 12 years, Les Éléphants have announced their return in style by reaching the knockout stage for the first time in the nation's history.
Ivory Coast made a winning start to their campaign, edging past Ecuador 1-0 in their Group E opener. Les Éléphants then produced a spirited display against four-time champions Germany but were left heartbroken after conceding a late winner in a narrow defeat. The African side bounced back in style in their final group-stage fixture, defeating debutants Curaçao 2-0 to seal their place in the knockout rounds by finishing second in Group E.
Round of 32 Match Time, Venue
The match between Norway and Ivory Coast will begin at 10.30 p.m. Indian Standard Time on Tuesday. It will be played at the AT&T Stadium Arlington, Texas, USA.
Head to Head
The upcoming match is the first time that these two teams will be playing each other in an international football match.
Form Guide (last five matches, most recent match first):
- Norway: L-W-W-D-W
- Ivory Coast: W-L-W-W-W
Norway
- Possible Starting 11 (4-3-3): Orjan Haskjold Nyland; Kristoffer Vassbakk Ajer, Torbjorn Heggem, Julian Ryerson, David Moller Wolfe; Martin Ødegaard, Fredrik Aursnes, Patrick Berg; Alexander Sørloth, Antonio Nusa, Erling Haaland.
- Substitutes: Egil Selvik, Sander Tangvik, Fredrik Bjorkan, Henrik Falchener, Sondre Langas, Marcus Holmgren Pedersen, Leo Ostigard, Thelonious Aasgaard, Sander Berge, Oscar Bobb, Jens Petter Hauge, Andreas Schjelderup, Morten Thorsby, Kristian Thorstvedt, Jorgen Strand Larsen.
Ivory Coast
- Possible Starting 11 (4-2-3-1): Yahia Fofana, Christopher Operi, Ousmane Diomande, Odilon Kossounou, Guela Doue; Franck Kessie, Ibrahim Sangare; Yan Diomande, Nicolas Pepe, Amad Diallo, Ange Yoan Bonny.
- Substitutes: Mohamed Kone, Alban Lafont, Emmanuel Agbadou, Wilfried Singo, Evan Ndicka, Seko Fofana, Parfait Guiagon, Christ Inao Oulai, Jean Michael Seri, Simon Adingra, Oumar Diakite, Evann Guessand, Bazoumana Toure, Elye Wahi.
Players to Watch
- Erling Haaland (Norway): Erling Haaland netted four goals in his first two World Cup matches and announced his arrival at the grandest football stage of all in sublime fashion. The centre forward has extraordinary returns for Norway as he has fired in 59 goals in only 52 matches.
- Yan Diomande (Ivory Coast): Yan Diamonde is one of the most exciting teenagers featuring at this World Cup. The 19-year-old had an impressive season in Germany with RB Leipzig and is now continuing his good form with Ivory Coast at the 48-nation tournament as well.
How To Watch Live Telecast?
The match will be televised live in India on Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2 and Unite8 Sports 2 HD television channels.
How To Watch Live Streaming?
The game will be streamed live on the ZEE5 app and website in English, Malayalam, Bangla and Hindi.
ALSO READ: FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32 Fixtures: Full Schedule, Dates, Kick-Off Times And Format Explained
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