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Who does Norway play next at the 2026 FIFA World Cup? Here’s the Vikings’ next opponent, match date, kickoff time and knockout schedule.
Norway’s World Cup journey continues as the Vikings pursue a historic run at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the road now runs through England. Here’s how the quarterfinal matchup shapes up.
Whether Norway advances or is eliminated, here’s a breakdown of the challenge England presents, including the Three Lions‘ strengths, their vulnerabilities and what history says about a matchup between two of the tournament’s more intriguing quarterfinalists.
England’s win over Mexico sets up a Saturday, July 11, quarterfinal at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, with kickoff at 10 p.m. local time in the UK, or 5 p.m. ET, according to Sky Sports‘ knockout bracket.
Norway reached the quarterfinals by beating Brazil 2-1 in the Round of 16 Sunday at MetLife Stadium, with Erling Haaland scoring twice to push his tournament total to seven goals, tied for the Golden Boot lead, according to NBC Los Angeles.
A win in Miami would send Norway into a semifinal Wednesday, July 15, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, against the winner of a bracket featuring Argentina, Egypt, Switzerland and Colombia.
Beyond that lies the July 19 final back at MetLife Stadium, the same venue where Norway eliminated Brazil. Norway has never advanced this far in a men’s World Cup, and a quarterfinal against England, one of the tournament favorites, stands as the clearest test yet of whether that run has staying power.
Haaland and Norway Draw England in the Quarterfinal
Thomas Tuchel’s side arrives unbeaten, having topped Group L over Croatia, Ghana and Panama before beating DR Congo in the Round of 32, a game Harry Kane broke open with a second-half brace in Atlanta, according to England Football’s official coverage.
A win in Miami would send England back to MetLife Stadium for a first men’s World Cup final appearance in 60 years, a drought that stretches back to the Three Lions’ only title in 1966. That storyline alone raises the stakes on a quarterfinal already loaded with talent on both sides.
Kane’s brace against DR Congo pushed him past England’s all-time World Cup scoring mark, giving Tuchel’s captain fresh motivation heading into the quarterfinal. England has also avoided early meetings with the tournament’s top-ranked sides, a bracket break that means Norway represents the toughest opponent the Three Lions have faced so far.
England’s Depth Poses New Test for Norway
Tuchel has built his squad around Jude Bellingham’s creativity, Kane’s finishing and Declan Rice’s midfield control, with pace on the wings from Bukayo Saka and Anthony Gordon.
England has shown occasional disjointed defending and leans heavily on Bellingham and Kane to produce in big moments, a pattern that could open space for Norway’s counter-attacking threat if the Three Lions push numbers forward.
Norway’s physical, tall profile and set-piece danger, already on display against Brazil, would test center backs Marc Guehi and Ezri Konsa in aerial duels and defending crosses. Haaland’s finishing, proven again Sunday, gives Norway better than a puncher’s chance against a side built more on control than chaos.
Norway has also shown occasional fragility defensively against pace and technical quality in earlier rounds, and England’s width through Saka and Gordon could pull the Vikings’ backline apart if Martin Odegaard and his teammates lose the battle for midfield territory. Coach Stale Solbakken has kept a settled lineup through the knockout stage, betting continuity outweighs any lingering concerns about depth against a squad as deep as England’s.
Jonathan Vankin JONATHAN VANKIN is an award-winning journalist who covers MLB, NBA, NFL, NHL, boxing, golf, and Olympic sports for Heavy.com. He twice won New England Newspaper and Press Association awards for sports feature writing. He was a sports editor and writer at The Daily Yomiuri in Tokyo, Japan, covering the Olympics, pro baseball, boxing, sumo and other sports. More about Jonathan Vankin
