Shafaq News- Massachusetts

Norway's football team completed preparations for its opening match against Iraq at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on June 16 at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, USA, striker Erling Haaland told reporters on Friday.

Haaland said that “excitement was building ahead of the tournament kickoff,” pointing to the importance of making a strong start. "We need to start strongly from the first moments and apply high pressure against Iraq. That is the approach we want to implement, and we hope to deliver our best performance and begin the tournament positively."

Norway will open its Group I campaign against Iraq before facing Senegal on June 22 and France on June 26.

Read more: Iraq prepare for historic World Cup return against Norway