Norway will seek another major World Cup upset when they face England in the third quarterfinal of the 2026 tournament at Miami Stadium on Saturday evening.
The Vikings stunned five-time champions Brazil in the previous round, with Erling Haaland scoring twice to send Ståle Solbakken’s side into the last eight.
England, meanwhile, booked their place with an impressive victory over co-hosts Mexico, scoring three times inside an hour against a side that had not previously conceded at the tournament.
England have the stronger historical record, winning seven of the 12 previous meetings between the two nations. Norway have registered two victories, while three matches ended in draws.
Their most recent meeting came in a 2014 friendly at Wembley Stadium, where Wayne Rooney’s goal earned England a 1-0 win. However, Norway’s current attacking threat makes Saturday’s encounter a significantly different challenge.
Haaland will be central to Norway’s hopes. The striker has scored seven goals and provided one assist in four appearances, averaging a goal every 51.4 minutes. His power, movement and clinical finishing were decisive against Brazil and will test an England defence expected to dominate possession but remain vulnerable during transitions.
At the opposite end, England will look to captain Harry Kane for inspiration. The Bayern Munich forward has six goals and one assist in five World Cup matches and has repeatedly delivered in decisive moments.
Kane has scored 73 goals for club and country during the 2025-26 season and will be determined to outperform Haaland in a contest featuring two of world football’s leading centre-forwards.
Tactically, Norway are expected to operate in a flexible 4-3-3 formation, defending with discipline before attacking quickly and directly. Solbakken’s team will also seek to exploit set-pieces and Haaland’s aerial presence.
Norway have, however, conceded nine goals in five matches, raising questions about whether their defensive structure can withstand sustained England pressure.
Thomas Tuchel’s side are likely to use wide overloads, frequent crosses and positional rotations to stretch Norway’s compact defensive shape. England’s ability to control territory and prevent counter-attacks could prove decisive.
The contest may ultimately be determined by which captain receives the better service. Norway will believe Haaland can deliver another historic result, while England will view Kane as the man capable of carrying them into the semifinals.
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