Norway Dominates Iraq in World Cup Opener

Norway defeated Iraq 4-1 in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group I match at Boston Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts on June 16.

The match marked the first-ever meeting between the two nations. Iraq qualified for the tournament by defeating Bolivia 2–1 in an inter-confederation playoff, while Norway secured their spot by winning its European qualifying group—including a key victory over Italy.

Scoring Summary

• 29' — Erling Haaland opened the scoring for Norway, poking in from David Møller Wolfe's low cross.
• 39' — Aymen Hussein equalized for Iraq, heading in from Amir Al Ammari's cross.
• 45+ — Haaland restored Norway's lead just before halftime, deflecting goalkeeper Jalal Hassan's clearance into the net.
• 76' — Leo Østigård headed in from a corner to make it 3-1.
• 90+ — An own goal from Aymen Hussein deep into stoppage time sealed the final score at 4-1.

Norway scored four goals in a single match at a major tournament for the first time.

Key Statistics

• Expected goals (xG): Norway 2.53 — Iraq 0.77
• Haaland's record: First player to score multiple goals for Norway on World Cup debut
• Streak: Haaland has now scored in his last 11 competitive appearances for Norway
• Iraq's history: The nation has lost all four World Cup matches in its history

Group I Standings

After the first round of matches, Norway and France each have three points.

Erling Haaland is the first player to score multiple goals for Norway on World Cup debut.