France beat Norway 4-1 in the group stage, Group I of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The match took place on 26 June 2026 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, as part of the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage, Group I. A crowd gathered to watch Norway host a strong French side, both teams looking to secure early points in the tournament.

How it unfolded

France opened the scoring in the 7th minute when Ousmane Dembélé unleashed a right-footed shot from the right side of the box, finding the bottom left corner after a precise pass from Kylian Mbappé. The early lead set the tone for the visitors.

Three minutes later, Norway’s Patrick Berg was shown a yellow card for a bad foul, reducing the home side’s options in midfield.

A further ten minutes saw Dembélé double his tally. In the 20th minute he received the ball on a fast break, and after a swift move he struck a left-footed shot from outside the box into the bottom left corner, again assisted by Mbappé. France were 2-0 up and appeared in control.

Norway responded quickly. Just a minute after the second French goal, Thelo Aasgaard restored hope for the hosts. He tapped in a right-footed strike from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner, the move set up by Andreas Schjelderup. The score read 2-1, and the momentum shifted briefly to the home side.

France, however, reclaimed the initiative before the half-hour mark. In the 32nd minute Dembélé completed his hat-trick, this time with a left-footed shot from the centre of the box that curled into the bottom left corner. The assist came from Aurélien Tchouaméni, who had positioned himself well to deliver the decisive pass. The visitors restored a two-goal cushion at 3-1.

The second half remained relatively tight until the 74th minute, when Aurélien Tchouaméni received a yellow card for a bad foul, marking his only disciplinary note of the match.

In stoppage time, France added a fourth goal. In the 90+4 minute, Désiré Doué rose highest to head home a cross from Bradley Barcola, directing the ball from the centre of the box into the bottom right corner. The late strike sealed a comprehensive 4-1 win for France.

Standout performers

  • Ousmane Dembélé dominated the attacking chart with three goals, two of which were set up by Kylian Mbappé and one by Aurélien Tchouaméni.
  • Kylian Mbappé provided the two early assists that opened the scoring and put Dembélé on the scoresheet twice.
  • Aurélien Tchouaméni contributed an assist for the third French goal and was also booked in the 74th minute.
  • Thelo Aasgaard gave Norway a fighting chance with a goal at the start of the second half, assisted by Andreas Schjelderup.
  • Andreas Schjelderup supplied the key pass that led to Aasgaard’s strike.
  • Désiré Doué added a late header to complete the French tally, benefiting from a cross by Bradley Barcola.
  • Bradley Barcola delivered the decisive cross for Doué’s goal in stoppage time.

Match facts

  • Final score: Norway 1-4 France
  • Goals:
    • Ousmane Dembélé (France) – 7', 20', 32'
    • Thelo Aasgaard (Norway) – 21'
    • Désiré Doué (France) – 90'+4'
  • Bookings:
    • Patrick Berg (Norway) – yellow card, 10'
    • Aurélien Tchouaméni (France) – yellow card, 74'
  • Venue: Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

What it means

The 4-1 result is a group-stage encounter in Group I of the FIFA World Cup 2026. Both France and Norway remain in contention as they continue their campaigns in the tournament’s opening phase.