WORLD CUP BETTING PREVIEW - NORWAY VS ENGLAND

World Cup

2026-07-11 - Norway vs England

A Sports Betting Preview by Auls

Norway v England
Football: World Cup Quarter Final
Saturday 11th July 2026 - Kick Off 5pm (EST)
British Time 8pm

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Norway

They may have had to ride their luck at times, but Norway will always have felt they would have chances to beat any opponent faced while Erling Haaland is leading the line. That proved to be the case in the Last 16 when Manchester City's Number Nine scored twice in the final eleven minutes to lead Norway to another success over Brazil having scored the winner in the previous Knock Out Round to help his nation edge past Ivory Coast.

Seven goals have been scored by Erling Haaland and English Premier League fans will only be too aware of the danger he poses to the national team in this World Cup Quarter Final. There is no doubt that Haaland's goals have been key for Norway over the last few years as they have returned to a major international tournament and Norway's threat in the final third has seen them score at least twice in 4 of the 5 World Cup Finals matches played.

Norway have beaten Iraq, Senegal, Ivory Coast and Brazil in this tournament and only a team with wholesale changes failed to complete the run in the heavy defeat to France. It should be noted that Norway have conceded in all of the matches at the 2026 World Cup, although they have only suffered a couple of defeats in the last 21 fixtures played in all competitions.

Marcus Holmgren Pedersen missed the game against Brazil with an illness and there have been some reports that it has been an issue affecting a number of this squad in the build up to the World Cup Quarter Final.

Predicted Line Up: Nyland, Pedersen, Moller Wolfe, Ajer, Heggem, Berge, Odegaard, Berg, Sorloth, Nusa and Haaland (4-3-3)

England

There have been some big moments in the history of the England national team, but you cannot really argue that the win over Mexico in the Azteca Stadium in the Last 16 of the 2026 World Cup is arguably the best ever result and performance on foreign soil at a major international tournament. It was a remarkable game that sprung into life when Jude Bellingham scored in the first half and England will have shown all of their rivals that they are here to win this tournament for the first time in sixty years.

The circumstances of the Last 16 tie has just increased the profile of the victory- after riding out the early storm, England moved into a 0-2 lead before allowing Mexico to get back into the game just before half time. The Jarell Quansah sending off early in the second half looked to be a turning point against England, but all of the players deserve a lot of credit for digging in and making sure the World Cup run was not ended prematurely.

England have beaten Croatia, Panama, DR Congo and Mexico with the only setback being the goalless draw with Ghana, but Thomas Tuchel may yet feel the 'perfect' performance has been missing. There are improvements to be made at both ends of the pitch if England are going to get to a first World Cup Final since 1966, but the confidence gained from the 2-3 win over Mexico cannot be ignored.

Assuming FIFA are not going to be fielding calls from the British Prime Minister, Jarell Quansah will be serving a suspension. Anthony Gordon has almost certainly cemented his place on the left wing of the attack, but there are a couple of positions that may feel up for grabs.

Predicted Line Up: Pickford, Spence, O'Reilly, Konsa, Guehi, Rice, Anderson, Bellingham, Saka, Gordon and Kane (4-2-3-1)

Head to Head

England are unbeaten in 4 matches against Norway and have won the last 2 in international friendly settings in 2012 and 2014.

The last competitive fixtures between England and Norway were in the 1994 World Cup Qualifying Group and it was Norway who took four points and helped eliminate England before the Finals hosted by the United States.

Prediction

If someone mentions Norway and England are playing in a football match, you will almost certainly hear mention of an iconic piece of commentary that is now just shy of forty-five years old.

Back in 1981, Norway upset England in a World Cup Qualifier and it was Bjorge Lillelien who famously stated 'your boys took a hell of a beating' while reeling off a number of famous politicians and sporting icons in then recent English/British history.

It is such a moment that a national radio show in Britain will open with a paraphrasing of the commentary, albeit mentioning the big footballing story of the day.

Don't be surprised if the commentary is played multiple times before this Quarter Final, but the England and Norway players will only be concerning themselves with finding a way through to the last four.

Erling Haaland versus Harry Kane will be a leading story, while England have to show they can recover from winning dramatically in the altitude of Mexico City before heading to Miami where conditions will be hot and humid.

Much like it was felt before the Last 16 tie, England are the superior team, but they will know that Haaland is capable of ripping away any fixture. Two of the back four are Manchester City players who should have a good insight into how to handle the Norwegian talisman, but it only takes a second for Erling Haaland to show what he can do.

Ultimately England can counter with Harry Kane who has scored three goals in the last two Knock Out ties as well, while Jude Bellingham once again produced big moments when his nation needed him. England will certainly feel they can hurt this Norwegian defence that was perhaps fortunate to have kept things goalless against Brazil before Haaland took over.

Stopping the big centre forward will not be easy after some of the defending England have produced, but they should be confident that the individual match ups will favour them more than Norway.

There is quality in the Norway ranks, but a team that is struggling for clean sheets could find the strength of this England team a little too much to handle. Unlike some, Norway have not shown a willingness to defend deep and that should also help England as they force their way through to just the third World Cup Semi Final since winning it all at home in 1966.

The Pick :

Norway 1-2 England

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

I'll back England to Win at 1.85 with Bet365 (early payout if a team is leading by two goals)