Italy vs Norway Preview & Prediction | 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifying (UEFA)
by Alex Lawes ·
Updated
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This is technically a playoff for 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification but four-time world champions Italy would have to produce a nine-goal victory to qualify ahead of Norway.
Kick-off date/time:
How to watch on TV: UK – Not televised / US – FOX Sports
How to watch online: UK – Amazon Prime / US – Disney+
Key stats
- Italy have won their last six World Cup qualifying matches, since losing 3-0 away from home against Norway on 6 June 2025.
- Italy have lost only one of their 63 World Cup qualifying matches in Italy (W51 D11). That was their 1-0 defeat against North Macedonia in the play-offs for Qatar 2022.
- Norway have lost only one of their last 15 World Cup qualifying matches (W11 D3).
- Norway are aiming to win eight successive World Cup qualifying matches for the first time.
- Erling Haaland has scored in his last ten World Cup qualifying appearances (19 goals in total).
Italy vs Norway prediction
Italy failed to qualify for each of the last two FIFA World Cups, either side of winning UEFA EURO 2020. The Azzurri will likely once again fail to qualify automatically for North America after their 3-0 loss to Norway in Oslo in June but they have been improved since the appointment of Gennaro Gattuso.
Norway, with plenty of stars aside from the inevitable Erling Braut Haaland, have finally begun to click with Stale Solbakken at the helm. The Norwegians have been relentless in this qualifying campaign and simply have to avoid a nine-goal defeat after they hammered Estonia by four goals to one the other day.
Italy have nothing to lose and so going all out attack against the Norwegians is to be expected, albeit the quality that Norway have should mean they create some clear openings of their own.
Italy vs Norway tip: Over 2.5 goals
