Cote d’Ivoire vs Norway Preview: Team News & Prediction | FIFA World Cup 2026 | Round of 32
by The Stats Zone ·
Updated
Two of the most intriguing and impressive teams in the group stages of FIFA World Cup 2026 now face off against each other in the Round of 32 as Cote d'Ivoire take on Norway in Dallas.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – BBC / USA – FOX Sports
How to watch online: UK – BBC iPlayer / USA – FOX One
Cote d’Ivoire preview: Impressive Ivorians
Emerse Fae has overseen Cote d'Ivoire's first ever qualification for the knockout stages of a FIFA World Cup with Les Elephants having enjoyed two victories in the groups, and perhaps frustrated to have not pipped Germany at the top of Group E.
The Ivorians edged past a defensively strong Ecuador side by a goal to nil in their opener in Philadelphia before they then lost 2-1 to the Germans, having taken the lead but conceded a late winner after they had very nearly nicked the victory via Simon Adingra late on. They recovered from that by easing to a 2-0 victory against Curacao, courtesy of a Nicolas Pepe brace, in their final game.
Norway preview: Rested and raring to go
Stale Solbakken took the decision to make ten changes and play, effectively, a 'B' team in Norway's final group stage game against France, succumbing to a 4-1 defeat. That result doesn't tell the story of a game whereby Norway created a fair bit more than just a goal, including a missed penalty, but Les Bleus also looked as though they could hit double figures at times.
The Norwegians effectively conceded top spot in the group and so the pressure will be on for them to ensure they get to the Round of 16, otherwise questions will be asked about what the point of their rotation was. They had won their opening two games of the tournament with a 4-1 hammering of Iraq before a 3-2 victory against Senegal.
Cote d’Ivoire team news: Defensive doubts
Monaco defender Wilfried Singo limped off against Germany and then missed out against Curacao, while Evan Ndicka also again failed to get minutes as he attempts to return to full fitness but he is available.
Despite ongoing legal issues in France, Elye Wahi returned to the squad and came off the bench against Curacao but it would be a surprise if he replaced Internazionale striker Ange-Yoan Bonny in the starting eleven.
Predicted XI (4-4-2): Y. Fofana; Doue, Kossounou, Agbadou, Konan; Diallo, Sangare, Kessie, Y. Diomande; Pepe, Bonny
Unavailable: Singo (Injured)
Questionable:
Norway team news: Back to full-strength
There were some impressive performances, notably Patrick Berg and Oscar Bobb, from their game against France but Norway will be expected to return to their best eleven with none of that 'B' team getting in, bar Fredrik Aursnes, with the versatile Benfica man having been the only man from the first-choice eleven to play in that game.
There are some defensive injury issues, though, with Julian Ryerson limping off against Borussia Dortmund and unavailable here, while Torbjorn Heggem also suffered a knock against Senegal but should be fine.
Predicted XI (4-3-3): Nyland; Pedersen, Ajer, Heggem, Wolfe; Odegaard, Berge, Aursnes; Sorloth, Haaland, Nusa
Unavailable: Ryerson (Injured)
Questionable:
Cote d’Ivoire’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Guela Doue ($3.9m) – Defender
Yan Diomande ($5.9m) – Forward
Amad Diallo ($5.9m) – Forward
Matchday 4 captain pick: Yan Diomande
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Franck Kessie
Free kicks: Yan Diomande
Corners: Amad Diallo, Yan Diomande
Norway’s top FIFA World Cup Fantasy assets
Marcus Pedersen ($4.0m) – Defender
Martin Odegaard ($7.7m) – Midfielder
Erling Haaland ($10.5m) – Forward
Matchday 4 captain pick: Erling Haaland
Set-piece duty
Penalties: Erling Haaland
Free kicks: Martin Odegaard
Corners: Martin Odegaard
Key stats
- This is the first meeting between the teams.
- Cote d’Ivoire have qualified for the knockout phase of the FIFA World Cup for the first time ever.
- Cote d’Ivoire have scored in their last eight FIFA World Cup outings – extending the longest such run in their history. They have now found the back of the net in 11 of their 12 World Cup matches.
- Cote d’Ivoire opened the scoring in all three matches in the group stage.
- Norway have reached the knockout stages in successive participations having done so when they last featured at the finals in 1998. They are aiming to win a knockout tie for the first time having lost 1-0 to Italy in the Round of 16 in 1998 and 2-1 to the same opponents in the first round of the 1938 edition.
- The defeat against France was only Norway’s second loss in their last 19 international matches (W14 D3).
- Norway scored in the first half in all three matches in the group stage.
- Erling Haaland is just the sixth player in the history of the FIFA World Cup to score two or more goals in both of his first two appearances in the tournament. He joins Argentina’s Guillermo Stábile (1930), Hungary’s Sándor Kocsis (1954), France’s Just Fontaine (1958), Poland’s Grzegorz Lato (1974) and England’s Harry Kane (2018) in achieving the feat. Stábile and Kocsis both increased their streak in their third appearance.
- Erling Haaland has scored in each of his last 12 competitive appearances for Norway, registering 24 goals in those fixtures.
- Erling Haaland has scored 59 goals in 52 international matches for his country.
- With his two goals in each of Norway’s first two group games – against Iraq and Senegal – Erling Haaland has now scored against 25 different countries, with those being his first international goals against non-European opposition.
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Cote d’Ivoire vs Norway prediction
Cote d'Ivoire struggled for goals in qualification with just 25 scored in ten matches, 16 of which came against the Seychelles. However, the evolution of their style and system under Fae, as well as the continued emergence of attacking talent, has allowed them to become more proactive.
Norway are a brilliant team to watch. Their 4-1 defeat to France means that their last 16 games have now consisted of 64 goals at an average of four per game. The Norwegians tend to draw teams out and create end-to-end matches, which they often win because of the sheer firepower that they possess.
The tricky pace and talent that the Ivorians have in attack should concern a shaky Norway defence but Norway once again out-scoring their opposition would appear the likeliest outcome down in Texas.
Cote d’Ivoire vs Norway betting tip: Norway to win & both teams to score
