The FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 delivers one of its most anticipated ties today as five-time champions Brazil take on a resurgent Norway side led by Erling Haaland. The winner advances to the quarterfinals, with a place against either England or Mexico on the line.
Match Fixture Details
- Match: Brazil vs Norway — FIFA World Cup 2026, Round of 16
- Venue: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
- Date: Sunday, July 5, 2026
- Kick-off: 4:00 p.m. ET / 1:00 p.m. PT (9:00 p.m. BST / 1:30 a.m. IST, Monday July 6)
This is only the second-ever World Cup meeting between the two nations, following their group-stage clash at France 1998, which Norway won 2-1. Overall, Brazil have never beaten Norway in four meetings across history, including a 1-1 friendly draw in 2006 and a memorable 4-4 thriller in the 1998 Confederations Cup.
Road to the Round of 16
Brazil finished top of Group C after wins over Haiti (3-0) and Scotland (3-0), with a draw against Morocco. They edged past Japan 2-1 in the Round of 32, coming from behind thanks to a stoppage-time winner from Gabriel Martinelli. Carlo Ancelotti’s side have won four of their last five matches, scoring nine goals across that stretch.
Norway, playing their first Round of 16 in 28 years, qualified as runners-up from Group I after a heavy 4-1 defeat to France was offset by wins elsewhere. Erling Haaland’s 86th-minute header sealed a 2-1 win over Ivory Coast in the Round of 32. Haaland has been the story of Norway’s campaign, scoring five goals so far and accounting for half of the team’s ten tournament goals.
Team News and Injuries
Brazil go into this match with selection headaches. Raphinha is ruled out for the rest of the tournament, and Lucas Paquetá is also unavailable after picking up an injury against Japan. Casemiro is expected to be fit after going off gingerly in the previous round. Neymar’s limited game time (just 14 minutes so far) remains a talking point, even though Ancelotti has confirmed he’s fit to play a full match.
Norway are close to full strength. Julian Ryerson is a doubt after a thigh injury sustained against Senegal, but the rest of Ståle Solbakken’s projected XI is expected to be unchanged: Ørjan Nyland in goal, a back four of Kristoffer Ajer, Marcus Holmgren Pedersen, David Møller Wolfe, and Torbjørn Heggem, with Martin Ødegaard, Patrick Berg, and Sander Berge in midfield, and Alexander Sørloth, Erling Haaland, and Antonio Nusa leading the attack.
Predicted Lineups
Brazil (4-3-3): Alisson Becker; Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhães, Douglas Santos; Bruno Guimarães, Casemiro, Éderson; Rayan, Matheus Cunha, Vinícius Júnior
Norway (4-3-3): Ørjan Nyland; Marcus Holmgren Pedersen, Torbjørn Heggem, Kristoffer Ajer, David Wolfe; Patrick Berg, Sander Berge, Martin Ødegaard; Alexander Sørloth, Erling Haaland, Antonio Nusa
The Key Battle: Haaland vs Brazil’s Defense
Every storyline in this match runs through Erling Haaland. He’s directly responsible for a huge share of Norway’s attacking output at this World Cup, and his history against Brazil’s defenders is notable — Gabriel Magalhães has faced Haaland 11 times in the Premier League (Arsenal vs Manchester City), with Haaland scoring six of those meetings. If Ødegaard finds time to turn in midfield and release Haaland in behind Brazil’s high line, Norway have a real chance of an upset. Brazil, by contrast, are banking on Vinícius Júnior’s individual quality — five goals and assists combined so far — to make the difference at the other end.
Odds and Predictions
Brazil enter as clear favourites, with most sportsbooks pricing them at around -125 on the 90-minute moneyline against Norway’s +360, with a draw around +260. Brazil are strongly favoured to advance overall (-270 vs +210). Several analysts have flagged this as a potential trap game for Brazil given Haaland’s form, with a number of pundits backing Norway to at least take the match to extra time, and the Over 2.5 goals market attracting heavy support.
Where to Watch: TV Channels and Live Streaming
Coverage of Brazil vs Norway varies by region. Here’s where fans around the world can catch the match:
- USA: FOX (English), Telemundo (Spanish). Streaming via FOX One, or through Live TV services like YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, Sling, or DirecTV.
- UK: ITV1, streaming free on ITVX.
- India: Zee5 (streaming). DD Sports/DD Free Dish is only broadcasting from the quarterfinals onward, so the full Round of 16 tie is Zee5-exclusive in India.
- Australia: SBS, with streaming on SBS On Demand.
- Ireland: RTÉ Player.
- Middle East & North Africa: beIN Sports.
- Additional streaming option: Prime Video is also carrying World Cup 2026 highlights, extended replays, and studio shows in select markets.
If you’re travelling and want to access your home country’s usual broadcaster, a reputable VPN (connected to a server in that country) is the standard workaround — just remember to clear your browser cache/cookies after switching servers so the stream detects the new location correctly.
Scorecard and Live Updates
Kick-off is still ahead as of writing, so the scoreline is 0-0 pending the match getting underway at MetLife Stadium. Live match stats — goals, shots, cards, and a minute-by-minute play-by-play — will be added here once the game kicks off. Check back for real-time updates on:
- Goalscorers and assist providers
- Shots on target and possession stats
- Cards and substitutions
- Full-time result and who advances to the quarterfinals
What’s at Stake
The winner of this Round of 16 tie advances to face the winner of England vs. Mexico in the quarterfinals. For Brazil, it’s a chance to keep alive their run of reaching the quarterfinals in nine straight World Cups. For Norway, simply being here is historic — it’s their first Round of 16 appearance in 28 years, and a win would be their best World Cup result in a generation.
