Norway face questions after resting Erling Haaland against France in World Cup 2026

By George Aldridge — 27 June 2026 — 4 min read

Norway’s Squad Rotation Strategy

Norway opted to make significant changes to their starting lineup for their final group stage match against France in the World Cup 2026. This decision included resting key player Erling Haaland, who started on the bench. The match, held at Boston Stadium, saw France secure a 4-1 victory, with Ousmane Dembele scoring a hat-trick in the first half.

Manager Stale Solbakken made 10 changes to the team, a move he described as a “no-brainer” given Norway had already qualified for the knockout stages. Solbakken explained that the decision was influenced by the medical department and some players, citing that five or six players were significantly affected after 80 minutes in their previous game against Senegal. The only consideration, he noted, was for the Norwegian fans who would have wanted to see Haaland and Martin Odegaard play.

Despite the changes, France, who had also secured their spot in the knockout rounds, continued their strong performance. Kylian Mbappe hit the crossbar early in the game before Dembele’s scoring spree. Former England striker Ian Wright commented before the match that if Haaland needed rest for the later stages of the tournament, he would take it. Haaland, who had scored four goals in the two preceding group games, had previously expressed his thoughts on facing France, stating, “They’re probably going to win against us. They’re probably going to win the whole tournament.”

Impact of the Decision

The decision to rest a significant portion of the squad, including Haaland, has led to discussions about its wisdom. With Haaland on the bench, his deputy Jorgen Strand Larsen missed a penalty that could have narrowed France’s lead to 3-2 after half-time. France ultimately topped Group I with three wins from three matches.

As a result of not topping the group, Norway faces an extended travel schedule for their next fixture. They are based in Greensboro, North Carolina, and will now travel approximately 1,100 miles to Arlington, Texas, to play Ivory Coast on 30 June. Had they won the group, their travel distance would have been half of that. France, by contrast, will play their last-32 showdown at the nearby New York New Jersey Stadium on the same date against the runners-up of Group F or G.

Former Scotland winger Pat Nevin highlighted the complications of the distances involved, suggesting that ensuring players are fit might have been the primary concern for Norway. Wright expressed surprise at the extent of Norway’s changes, especially since they had used the same starting XI for their wins over Iraq and Senegal. Nevin also pointed out Norway’s physical style of play, suggesting that avoiding injuries was a key factor in the manager’s decision.

Looking Ahead to the Knockout Stages

Solbakken defended his decision by citing the short turnaround between Norway’s last game on Tuesday and the match against France on Friday. Former Republic of Ireland midfielder Roy Keane acknowledged the reasoning, noting that Norway, participating in their first World Cup since 1998, is not yet accustomed to tournament football. Keane suggested that Norway’s priority was to advance from the group stage, which they achieved, and that the manager likely considered it difficult to overcome France, opting instead to rest players for the next week’s challenges.

Guy Stephan, France’s assistant coach, who was deputising for Didier Deschamps, stated he was not surprised by Norway’s numerous changes, understanding that Solbakken was preparing for the round of 32. He added that the effectiveness of the decision would be seen in four days.

Norway is only the fourth team to make 10 or more changes to their starting XI for a World Cup match in the same edition. While Spain made 11 changes in 2006 and still won their final group game, they subsequently lost 3-1 to France in the last 16. However, Belgium made 10 changes in 2018, defeated Japan 3-2, and then went on to beat Brazil 2-1 in the quarter-finals before being eliminated by France. If Norway defeats Ivory Coast, they will proceed to New Jersey for a last-16 tie on 5 July against the winners of the Brazil–Japan match.

The World Cup draw in December had initially highlighted the Norway versus France fixture as a significant encounter. However, with both teams having already qualified for the knockout stage by winning their first two games, the immediate jeopardy was reduced. The match primarily served to determine who would top Group I.

France has a history of rotating players in their final group games after securing qualification, having done so in previous tournaments. In 2022, Mbappe was rested against Tunisia despite strong performances in the opening two games. Similarly, France made changes in their 3-0 victory over Iraq, with Lucas Digne, Manu Kone, and Bradley Barcola replacing other key players. Ousmane Dembele and Michael Olise were also substituted, with Rayan Cherki among those given minutes. Olise has been noted for his significant impact in the tournament, providing assists for half of France’s six goals, making him a likely candidate for rest in the final group match.

The next challenge for Norway will be their match against Ivory Coast on 30 June.

Source: bbc.co.uk