Norway Edges Ivory Coast to Advance to World Cup Round of 16

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The Norway national football team successfully navigated the first round of the knockout phase at the FIFA World Cup 2026, defeating a resilient Ivory Coast side.

The Round of 32 matchup, held at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas, concluded with a 2-1 victory for the Scandinavian squad. The hard-fought success guarantees the Norwegians a ticket to the tournament's Round of 16, where they are scheduled to square off against powerhouse Brazil on Sunday, July 5.

Norway broke the deadlock in the 39th minute when winger Antonio Nusa cut inside and unleashed a spectacular curling effort into the top corner, putting his team ahead before the interval. Ivory Coast clawed their way back into the game during the second half, finding an equalizer in the 74th minute through substitute Amad Diallo, who skillfully weaved through the defense before slotting the ball home. However, the Scandinavians managed to snatch victory in regulation time: in the 86th minute, star forward Erling Haaland tapped in the decisive match-winner off a well-placed cross.

With this crucial strike, Haaland brought his goal tally to five in the ongoing global tournament. In the Golden Boot race, the Norwegian striker currently occupies the second spot, trailing slightly behind Argentina’s talisman Lionel Messi, who has netted six goals. The reigning world champions Argentina still have their Round of 32 match ahead of them, as they are set to face Cape Verde.

The final stage of the prestigious tournament is unfolding across 16 host cities in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This edition of the World Cup has already made history as the first tournament to feature an expanded format of 48 national teams playing a total of 104 matches. The premier global football tournament will culminate on July 19, when a new world champion will be crowned to succeed the current title holders, Argentina.