Iraq face Norway in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group I match on June 17 at Boston Stadium
Iraq return to the World Cup after 40 years, while Norway make their first appearance since 1998
Norway enter as favourites with Erling Haaland's firepower, but Iraq will look to challenge with resilience
Iraq and Norway will lock horns in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group I match on Wednesday, 17 June, at Boston Stadium. Both teams will be aware of the importance of starting their campaign strongly, especially with France and Senegal meeting in the other opening fixture of the group.
Iraq's return to the World Cup has been built on a remarkable turnaround. After a difficult qualifying campaign that saw Jesús Casas leave his role, Graham Arnold stepped in and guided the team through a challenging path to the finals.
The West Asian side secured their place in the tournament after defeating Bolivia 2-1 in the inter-confederation playoff, ending a 40-year wait since their only previous World Cup appearance in 1986.
The Lions of Mesopotamia will hope to make a stronger impression this time after losing all three matches in their first World Cup campaign.
Their preparations have included mixed friendly results, with a victory over Andorra, a draw against Spain and a defeat to Venezuela. Captain Jalal Hassan will marshal the defence, while Aymen Hussein is expected to lead the attacking charge.
Norway arrive with plenty of confidence after producing a flawless qualifying campaign. Ståle Solbakken's side won all their qualifying matches, scoring 37 goals and conceding only five, highlighting their strength at both ends of the pitch.
Despite inconsistent results in their recent warm-up games, Norway possess a world-class attacking threat in Erling Haaland.
The match will be the first-ever meeting between Iraq and Norway. The Scandinavian side, led by Arsenal midfielder Martin Odegaard, will aim to mark their first World Cup appearance since 1998 with a victory, while Iraq will look to rely on discipline, defensive organisation and their big-match spirit to challenge one of Europe's rising teams.
Iraq Vs Norway - Head-To-Head
Iraq and Norway have no previous history of meetings at the senior international level. Their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group I clash will mark the first-ever encounter between the two nations.
Iraq Vs Norway, FIFA World Cup 2026: Match Prediction
Norway enter the clash as favourites after a dominant qualifying campaign, with Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard providing a major attacking threat. Iraq have shown great resilience to reach the World Cup and could make the game difficult with their defensive discipline.
However, Norway's quality and experience at the highest level should help them secure a positive start to their campaign.
Iraq Vs Norway, FIFA World Cup 2026: Live Streaming
When to watch Iraq vs Norway, FIFA World Cup 2026 match?
The Iraq vs Norway, FIFA World Cup 2026 match will be played on Wednesday, 17 June at 3:30 am IST.
Where to watch Iraq vs Norway, FIFA World Cup 2026 match?
The Iraq vs Norway, FIFA World Cup 2026 Group I clash will be available for live telecast in India on Zee’s new Unite8 Sports network, Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2 and Unite8 Sports 2 HD. The four channels will broadcast multiple group-stage matches taking place simultaneously, with coverage available in both English and Hindi.
Fans can also watch the France vs Senegal FIFA World Cup 2026 match live streaming on the ZEE5 website and app.
