Brazil vs. Norway - prediction, team news, lineups | World Cup 2026

Twenty-eight years aft their lone erstwhile World Cup meeting, Brazil and Norway look disconnected astatine MetLife Stadium connected Sunday for a spot successful the World Cup 2026 quarter-finals.

Carlo Ancelotti's Selecao were brave successful overturning a 1-0 shortage for a 2-1 victory against Japan, portion the returning Vikings bushed Ivory Coast by the aforesaid scoreline with Erling Haaland snatching a precocious winner.

Match preview

Heading into Sunday's last-16 lucifer successful New Jersey, Brazil volition beryllium alert of their winless grounds against this weekend's opponents, whom they person not defeated successful 4 erstwhile encounters. 

The astir high-profile gathering happened astatine Stade Velodrome conscionable implicit 28 years ago, erstwhile the South American heavyweights surrendered a 1-0 pb to suffer precocious on, adjacent if that effect comes with the caveat of the Selecao having sealed their spot arsenic Group A winners earlier that 3rd fixture. 

Fast guardant to 2026, and the five-time satellite champions person inactive yet to bushed Norway, with whom they played retired a 1-1 gully successful a affable lucifer successful 2006. 

The precedent of this fixture adds to the value for Ancelotti, who was astir apt 45 minutes distant from facing aggravated scrutiny had his squad not beaten Japan successful Houston. 

Kaishu Sano enactment the Blue Samurai 1-0 up connected the half-hour mark, but the Italian efficaciously threw caution to the upwind aft the interruption by switching to a 4-2-4 strategy pursuing Endrick's introduction, 

That determination yet profited them, with Casemiro heading location earlier the hr and Gabriel Martinelli breaking Japanese hearts by snatching a victor successful the 5th infinitesimal of second-half stoppage time. 

The World Cup has brought thing but symptom for the five-time champions since their 2002 victory, with 2 quarter-final runs sandwiching their 2014 show arsenic hosts — the little said astir however that played out, the better. 

Now, Ancelotti takes his squad into different circular of 16 lucifer astatine the Mundial, arsenic the heavyweights strive to debar their earliest exit connected the planetary signifier since losing to rivals Argentina astatine this signifier successful the 1990 finals. 

Only 9 of the existent Norway radical had been calved erstwhile the Vikings stunned Brazil successful Marseille years ago, with goalkeeper Orjan Nyland, 35, astir apt the lone 1 with abiding memories of the 2-1 turnaround.

Although their opponents this play stay a vaunted side, they are nary longer the unit they were 28 years ago. 

That azygous information should boost assurance successful the radical up of facing the Selecao, who person blown blistery and acold successful North America. 

Norway, for their part, person embraced outscoring their opponents successful the 2026 finals, with the European outfit scoring and conceding successful each crippled since their instrumentality to the tournament. 

Stale Solbakken's men, though, person won each lucifer with the objection of the clash against France to adjacent retired Group I, erstwhile a second-string broadside were emphatically beaten 4-1 by the pre-tournament favourites. 

Facing 1 of the starring contenders successful our World Cup betting guide, a importantly stronger enactment volition backmost themselves to assertion different scalp connected the planetary stage.

Brazil World Cup form:

Brazil signifier (all competitions):

Norway World Cup form:

Norway signifier (all competitions):

The presumption from Brazil  

Pedro Ramos, Trivela

Brazil faces Norway - 1 of the fewer opponents it has ne'er beaten - successful a lucifer wherever they participate arsenic the favourite. Norway person shown idiosyncratic brilliance done Odegaard and, of course, Haaland, but I deliberation the squad has antiaircraft flaws that the Selecao tin efficaciously exploit. I expect a tough, evenly matched contest, but I judge Brazil has what it takes to travel retired connected top.    

While each the absorption regarding idiosyncratic duels is connected the Haaland vs. Gabriel Magalhaes matchup, I americium acrophobic astir the Man City striker targeting Marquinhos, who struggles against bigger and stronger opponents.

Team News

With Raphinha already ruled out, Brazil are sweating implicit the fittingness of Lucas Paqueta and Casemiro, with the erstwhile withdrawn astatine half-time against Japan and Casemiro taken disconnected conscionable earlier Martinelli's winner. 

While galore judge the erstwhile Real Madrid antheral volition play, Paqueta is apt to beryllium replaced by Danilo Santos successful midfield. 

Although Matheus Cunha could not adhd to his 3 goals earlier going disconnected aft 65 minutes, the Manchester United guardant should clasp his spot successful the XI, keeping Martinelli retired of the side. 

Ancelotti is apt to support the 4-3-3 for Sunday's last-16 match, avoiding the temptation of going gung-ho from the commencement by utilising Endrick from the off. 

Vinicius Junior has had a storming World Cup for the Selecao, scoring 4 and mounting up one, and the wide attacker volition look to adhd to his 5 nonstop involvements. 

Julian Ryerson has not played for Norway since going disconnected injured aft 13 minutes against Senegal, adjacent if helium is said to beryllium adjacent to a instrumentality from the thigh contented which has kept him retired against France and the Ivory Coast. 

Further forward, Haaland has netted 5 goals connected his World Cup debut, leaving him 1 onslaught down Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe. 

Haaland's tally accounts for 50% of the Vikings' 10 goals, with 4 players netting 1 each and Solbakken's broadside benefitting from an ain goal. 

Martin Odegaard and Patrick Berg, though, person assisted 3 and 2 for the Norwegians, highlighting their roles arsenic facilitators for Landslaget.

Brazil imaginable starting lineup:

Alisson; Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel, Douglas Santos; Guimaraes, Casemiro, Danilo Santos; Rayan, Cunha, Vini Jr. 

Norway imaginable starting lineup:

Nyland; Pedersen, Ajer, Heggem, Wolfe; Odegaard, Berge, Berg; Sorloth, Haaland, Nusa

We say: Brazil 1-2 Norway

Backing Norway whitethorn beryllium an unpopular call, but Landslaget's nonstop play whitethorn beryllium excessively overmuch for a Brazil broadside who person shown vulnerability erstwhile dealing with teams possessing a capable counter-attacking threat. 

While the Vikings' all-or-nothing attack suggests some teams should find the backmost of the net, Solbakken's squad are tipped to borderline proceedings to scope the quarter-finals of a World Cup for the archetypal time.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.