Haaland scores – Erling Haaland scored Norway’s first World Cup goal since 1998 in the 29th minute against Iraq, then added a second in the 43rd as Norway surged to an early advantage in its 2026 opener at Gillette Stadium.
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Norway didn’t wait long to announce itself in the 2026 World Cup.
In its opener against Iraq, the team struck first at Gillette Stadium, with Erling Haaland putting the ball in the net in the 29th minute. It was Norway’s first World Cup goal since 1998, and Haaland made sure the moment belonged to him.
The lead began with a run of space down the left side of Iraq’s defense. David Møller Wolfe delivered a cross into the box that Haaland met with a touch while sliding to the ground. The ball rolled directly into the open side of the net. leaving Iraq goalkeeper Jalal Hassan no chance to stop it and giving Norway a 1-0 edge early in the match.
Haaland’s World Cup breakthrough didn’t stay a one-goal story for long. In the 43rd minute. just four minutes after Iraq equalized through an Aymen Hussein header. Haaland intercepted a back-pass aimed in Jalal Hassan’s direction. He got to the ball just before it reached the goalkeeper, creating a point-blank opportunity he finished with ease.
With two goals already in the opener, Haaland moved closer to a rare milestone. Another goal would give him the first hat trick of the 2026 World Cup, and the first at the tournament since Kylian Mbappé scored one in the 2022 World Cup final against Argentina.
His scoring at this stage came with a personal backdrop. The goal marked Haaland’s first-ever at the World Cup. while also representing his 56th goal across 49 appearances for the Norwegian national team. The 25-year-old is making his World Cup debut in 2026, after years of rewriting goal-scoring records across Europe.
Before the tournament, Haaland had already built a reputation strong enough to carry expectations. He won three Golden Boat awards as the Premier League’s top scorer in four seasons. including a record 36 goals in 2022-23. Entering the 2026 World Cup, he has scored 55 goals in 49 international matches.
Norway’s progress also sits inside a bigger tournament story. The 2026 World Cup is set to be the largest ever, with 48 teams competing for the trophy. Norway, chasing a deep run after its first appearance since 1998, begins its campaign with Haaland driving the early narrative.
The match comes as part of a tight schedule for the team: Norway plays Iraq on June 16 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts; Norway then faces Senegal on June 22 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey; and Norway meets France on June 26 back at Gillette Stadium.
For viewers, streaming availability is listed for Fubo or the Fox One App. Spanish-language broadcasts are available on Telemundo and Peacock.
As group standings and brackets update through the tournament, fans are also able to follow live standings and stats. The day’s biggest takeaway is hard to miss: Norway may have found its first World Cup goal in decades. but it found it through Haaland—twice—inside the span of a little more than 10 minutes.
Erling Haaland Norway vs Iraq 2026 World Cup Gillette Stadium Foxborough Aymen Hussein Jalal Hassan David Møller Wolfe Kylian Mbappé