Norway beat Ivory Coast on Haaland winner, set up Brazil clash in round of 16

Led by Erling Haaland, Norway knocked out Ivory Coast and will face Brazil in the round of 16.

Norway defeated Ivory Coast 2-1 on Tuesday in a 2026 FIFA World Cup round of 32 match at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Making their first World Cup appearance since France 1998 — a 28-year absence — Norway matched their result from that tournament by advancing to the round of 16. In the group stage of this expanded 48-team competition, they beat Iraq and Senegal before falling to France, finishing second in Group I with a 2-1 record.

Norway will face Brazil — who came from behind to beat Japan 2-1 in their round of 32 match the previous day — in the round of 16 on Monday.

Ivory Coast, returning to the World Cup for the first time in 12 years after group-stage exits in Germany 2006, South Africa 2010 and Brazil 2014, advanced past the group stage for the first time but bowed out in the first knockout round.

Norway took the lead in the 39th minute when Antonio Nusa received a pass from Martin Odegaard, used a dazzling body feint to shake off a defender, cut inside the left edge of the penalty area and finished with his right foot.

Ivory Coast leveled in the 74th minute through Amad Diallo, the Manchester United forward in the English Premier League.

With the score level at 1-1, Norway regained the lead in the 86th minute. Oscar Bobb sent a long ball in from the right flank, Patrick Berg cut it back inside the penalty area, and Haaland arrived to poke it home for the winner.

The goal was Haaland's fifth of the tournament, keeping him in the Golden Boot race alongside Lionel Messi of Argentina, who leads with six.

Haaland scored twice against Iraq in the group opener and added another brace against Senegal in the second match before sitting out the final group game against France. He returned Tuesday to find the net again, having scored in every one of his three appearances at the tournament.