Sports

Brazil vs Norway – Match preview and team news

Nairavoice · Jul 5, 2026 · 3 min read

Brazil and Norway face each other in the Round of 16 encounter on Sunday at the New York New Jersey Stadium.

Both teams head into this fixture on the back of a 2-1 win against their respective opponents in their Round of 32 match, and whoever wins this match will face either England or Mexico in the quarter-finals.

Brazil vs Norway – Match preview and team news

Date: Sunday, 5th July.
Kick-off: 9pm BST.
Venue: New York New Jersey Stadium, East Rutherford, USA.

Brazil team news

Brazil enters the knockout stage facing a significant blow as midfield playmaker Lucas Paquetá has been ruled out of the clash after sustaining a left thigh muscle injury during their final group stage match against Japan.

Head coach Carlo Ancelotti has received some positive news on the injury front, however, as winger Raphinha has successfully returned to first-team training following a recent hamstring setback.

Ancelotti confirmed that while Raphinha is fit enough to make the matchday squad, he will start on the bench to avoid risking a re-injury.

Meanwhile, Neymar is fully fit and cleared for maximum minutes, and veteran midfielder Casemiro has passed late fitness checks after being substituted as a precaution in their previous outing.

Ancelotti is tipped to deploy either Danilo Santos or teenage prodigy Endrick to fill the creative void left by Paquetá in midfield.

Norway team news

Norway manager Ståle Solbakken is managing a critical fitness concern ahead of the round-of-16 tie, as dynamic right-back Julian Ryerson remains a major doubt due to a persistent thigh issue.

While Ryerson is aggressively pushing medical staff to feature, Marcus Pedersen is heavily tipped to take his place in the starting backline alongside centre-backs Kristoffer Ajer and Torbjørn Heggem.

In attack, superstar striker Erling Haaland is locked in to lead the line despite publicly admitting to heavy physical fatigue following Norway’s intense battle against the Ivory Coast.

Fortunately for Solbakken, the squad has avoided any disciplinary setbacks, leaving them completely free of suspension concerns for this crucial match.

The clinical Manchester City forward will be flanked by the creative duos of Antonio Nusa and Alexander Sørloth, completing Norway’s standard, highly aggressive 4-3-3 attacking formation.

Form

Brazil

Brazil enters the knockout rounds in exceptional form under Carlo Ancelotti. In the World Cup group stage, they played out a 1-1 draw with Morocco before commanding consecutive 3-0 victories over Haiti and Scotland.

They showcased stellar resilience in the Round of 32, securing a dramatic, late 2-1 comeback victory against Japan via a 96th-minute winner from Gabriel Martinelli to book their spot here.

Norway

Norway has displayed a highly volatile yet competitive run, registering three wins, one draw, and one defeat over its last five games. They opened their World Cup campaign by defeating Iraq 4-1 and edging Senegal 3-2 to secure knockout qualification early.

After fielding a rotated squad in a heavy 4-1 loss to France, they bounced back brilliantly to knock out the Ivory Coast with a 2-1 victory.