Norway beat Ivory Coast 2-1: FIFA World Cup – as it happened

Our colleague Kevin Hand is building up to our second featured knockout game of the day – France vs Sweden.

Follow the live coverage as the match inches closer to kickoff, which is in about 45 minutes.

That’s it from our continued coverage of the knockout stage of the World Cup.

Norway continue their dream run at the World Cup, led by their talisman Haaland. The forward is not far behind Lionel Messi in the race for the Golden Boot Award.

Haaland has scored five, one behind Messi’s six.

Heartbreak for Ivory Coast, who were in the match until the final few minutes.

Hop across to our coverage of France vs Sweden as we make our way through the round of 32.

It’s goodbye from me, Alex Hoad, and the rest of the Al Jazeera Sport team.

Our match report is now live: Norway edge Ivory Coast 2–1 to enter World Cup Round of 16

The current edition is Norway’s fourth appearance at the World Cup, and they have not matched their best result at the competition.

The Scandinavian nation’s qualification for the round of 16 matches their campaigns in 1938 and 1998.

Can they go one better this time?

Norway’s Martin Odegaard became only the third player since the record began in 1966 to assist a goal in each of his first three World Cup appearances, after Igor Belanov for the USSR in 1986 and Michael Ballack for Germany in 2002.

Erling Haaland has scored in each of his last 13 competitive internationals for Norway, scoring 25 goals in this run.

Title contenders England, led by Harry Kane, face Yoane Wissa’s DR Congo as the teams fight for a place in the last-16, with Norway in line to face the winner in the quarterfinal should they overcome Brazil.

We’ll be here for every kick, of course, but you can click here for Wednesday’s preview.

Erling Haaland doesn't miss from there. pic.twitter.com/diX9CXpsOX

— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) June 30, 2026

Norway push through to the next round! ⏭️#FIFAWorldCup

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 30, 2026

Norway progress to the last 16 to face Brazil after a resilient showing to beat Ivory Coast.

Norway rode their luck in the opening half before taking the lead against the run of play through Antonio Nusa’s stunning curler from the left of the area.

Alexander Sorloth spurned a good chance to make it 2-0 and Torbjorn Heggem saw a shot cleared off the line by sub Amad Diallo before the Manchester United man produced a stunning solo goal after a one-two with Nicholas Pepe to equalise.

It looked as if the Elephants might go on to win it, earning 14 corners in the game, but instead Oscar Bobb freed Patrick Berg whose cut-back was turned into the net from close range by the otherwise quiet Erling Haaland for his fifth goal of the competition to win it late-on.

Attempt missed. Evann Guessand (Côte d’Ivoire) header from very close range misses to the right. Assisted by Amad Diallo with a cross following a corner.

Corner, Côte d’Ivoire. Conceded by Kristoffer Ajer.

Corner, Côte d’Ivoire. Conceded by Ørjan Nyland.

Attempt saved. Amad Diallo (Côte d’Ivoire) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top left corner by Ørjan Nyland (Norway).

What a stunning free-kick from nearly 30 yards from Amad Diallo, it’s destined for the top corner until Nyland makes a flying save to his right to tip it over the bar.

Foul by Martin Ødegaard (Norway).

Ibrahim Sangaré (Côte d’Ivoire) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

Substitution, Côte d’Ivoire. Evann Guessand replaces Yan Diomande.

Substitution, Côte d’Ivoire. Bazoumana Touré replaces Ghislain Konan.

Fredrik Aursnes (Norway) wins a free kick in the defensive half.