Erling Haaland, set for Norway’s long-awaited return to the World Cup after 28 years, says his father, Alfie Haaland, playing in the 1994 tournament in the United States makes the moment even bigger—especially with Norway set to open against Senegal at MetLife
When Erling Haaland walks into the 2026 FIFA World Cup. it won’t just be another tournament start for a star striker. For Norway, it’s something closer to a homecoming. The country returns to the competition for the first time in 28 years. and at 25 years old Haaland is carrying the weight of that wait.
On Monday, Haaland added a personal layer to the moment in an interview with ESPN. He talked about his father, Alfie Haaland, who also represented Norway at a World Cup held on U.S. soil more than 30 years ago.
“Of course, it’s a special thing,” Haaland said. “It’s special that he played in the World Cup as well for Norway. especially in the U.S. so it makes it more special … The plan is to get a lot of people over and to be a part of this and to watch the games. and that is something I think he has in his mind for sure.”.
The timing matters. Haaland is arriving with momentum that feels built for a stage this size. He just won his third Premier League Golden Boot in four years with Manchester City. scoring 27 goals and adding eight assists in 34 matches. And the World Cup is the debut he’s been waiting for—Norway’s first taste since the 1990s. with Haaland now the flag-bearer.
Alfie Haaland’s story begins far from the spotlight. but it lands in the same American geography that Erling is about to enter. Alfie was born in Stavanger, Norway, in 1972, and played professionally for two decades. His club career included time with Nottingham Forest, Leeds United, and Manchester City. In international football, he made his senior Norway debut in January 1994 in a friendly against Costa Rica.
At the 1994 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Alfie represented Norway and made his only appearance in a major tournament for the national team. He featured in two matches, against Italy and Mexico. Both of those appearances came at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Now the location echoes. The 1994 matches at Giants Stadium were played in the same city where Erling will face Senegal—at MetLife Stadium. Norway’s path in 1994 ended with frustration and fine margins: it beat Mexico 1-0. lost to Italy 1-0. and drew 0-0 with the Republic of Ireland in Group E. That group remains the only group in World Cup history where all four teams finished with the same points and goal difference. Norway was eliminated on goals scored, with just one goal across three matches.
This time, the stakes are different simply because Haaland is different. He is already Norway’s all-time leading goalscorer as a striker, with 55 goals in just 50 matches. The expectation in 2026 is that Norway won’t be reduced to a single goal and an early exit again.
Norway is in Group I this time around. Its matches are set against Iraq on Tuesday, June 16, at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts; Senegal at MetLife Stadium on June 22; and France on June 26 back in Foxborough.
The group is daunting. but Norway has already been labeled one of the tournament’s most dangerous dark horses—and Haaland is at the center of that label. If he leads Norway into a deep run, it won’t just be a personal milestone. It would also extend a family legacy that began more than three decades ago on U.S. soil, in the same stadium-adjacent world where the father once played and the son is now about to debut.
Erling Haaland Alfie Haaland Norway 2026 FIFA World Cup MetLife Stadium Senegal Gillette Stadium Group I Premier League Golden Boot