Brazil vs Norway Prediction. Five-time world champions Brazil face Norway — the only nation to have never lost a senior men’s match against the Seleção — in the Round of 16 at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford on Sunday, 5 July 2026 (20:00 UTC / 23:00 EAT). Paquetá is out with a tournament-ending injury; Raphinha returns to training. Haaland and Ødegaard for Norway. Our prediction: Brazil to win. Full analysis, team news, line-ups and all markets on SportPesa.
Match details
| Field | Detail |
| Competition | 2026 FIFA World Cup — Round of 16 |
| Date & kick-off | Sunday, 5 July 2026 at 20:00 UTC / 23:00 EAT |
| Venue | MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA |
| How they got here | Brazil: beat Japan 2-1 (Martinelli late winner) in the R32. Norway: beat Ivory Coast 2-1 in the R32. |
| Format | Single elimination. If level after 90 mins: 30 mins extra time, then penalty shoot-out. |
| Where to watch | DSTV/GOTV |
Five-time champions vs football’s great giant-killers
Brazil’s 2-1 victory over Japan in the Round of 32 was a test of resilience. Gabriel Martinelli’s late winner saved them after a closely contested match. Coach Carlo Ancelotti now faces a significant selection challenge: Lucas Paquetá has suffered a tournament-ending injury, leaving a major creative void in midfield. The silver lining is that Raphinha has returned to full training, which could allow Ancelotti to rearrange into a more aggressive three-man front to compensate.
Brazil’s attacking depth remains formidable. Vinícius Júnior and Matheus Cunha have been the standout performers of their tournament campaign. Bruno Guimarães and Casemiro anchor the midfield double pivot, while Rodrygo provides creative support between the lines. The five-time champions are the clear pedigree favourites.
Norway arrive at MetLife Stadium with a piece of history that will not go unnoticed: they are the only nation in the world never to have lost a senior men’s international against Brazil. From four meetings, Norway hold two wins and two draws. Their most famous victory came at the 1998 World Cup group stage in Marseille — a 2-1 comeback win that stunned one of the tournament favourites.
Norway’s Round of 32 win over Ivory Coast 2-1 confirmed their form is genuine. Erling Haaland leads an attack that has scored 13 goals in four tournament appearances, supported by Martin Ødegaard’s creativity and Oscar Bobb’s pace from wide. Ståle Solbakken has a completely clean bill of health and is expected to name an unchanged XI.
Availability
| Player | Status |
| Lucas Paquetá (Brazil) | OUT — tournament-ending injury. Major creative void in midfield. |
| Raphinha (Brazil) | RETURNS to full training. May feature in XI — confirm starting status before kick-off. |
Team news and expected line-ups
Brazil: Paquetá out. Raphinha returns — confirm start. Vinícius and Cunha lead. Guimarães and Casemiro in midfield. Alisson in goal.
Norway: Unchanged XI. Zero injury/suspension concerns. Haaland leads. Ødegaard creates. Bobb and Nusa wide. Berge and Berg in midfield.
| Brazil (4-3-3) | Norway (4-3-3) |
| Alisson (GK) | Ørjan Nyland (GK) |
| Danilo (RB) | Julian Ryerson (RB) |
| Marquinhos (CB) | Andreas Hanche-Olsen (CB) |
| Gabriel Magalhães (CB) | Leo Østigård (CB) |
| Alex Sandro (LB) | David Møller Wolfe (LB) |
| Bruno Guimarães (DM) | Sander Berge (DM) |
| Casemiro (DM) | Patrick Berg (DM) |
| Rodrygo (CM) | Antonio Nusa (RW) |
| Rayan (RW) | Martin Ødegaard (AM) |
| Vinícius Júnior (LW) | Oscar Bobb (LW) |
| Cunha (ST) | Erling Haaland (ST) |
Key stats
- Brazil: R32 result — beat Japan 2-1 (Martinelli late winner).
- Brazil: five-time World Cup champions (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002).
- Lucas Paquetá: tournament-ending injury. Creative void in midfield.
- Raphinha: returns to full training. May start.
- Vinícius Júnior: standout performer of Brazil’s campaign.
- Matheus Cunha: strong scoring record in the tournament.
- Brazil form: W W W D W — only one dropped result in last five.
- Norway: R32 result — beat Ivory Coast 2-1.
- Norway: 13 goals in 4 tournament appearances.
- Erling Haaland: Norway’s focal point. Tournament goals from this campaign.
- Martin Ødegaard: creative engine.
- Norway: zero injury or suspension concerns.
- Norway form: W L W W D.
- H2H: Norway UNBEATEN vs Brazil in all history — W2 D2 from 4 meetings.
- Most famous meeting: 1998 World Cup group stage, Norway 2-1 Brazil (Marseille).
- Last meeting: August 2006, Norway 1-1 Brazil (International Friendly, Oslo).
Head-to-head
Norway hold a unique and extraordinary record in world football: they have never lost a senior men’s international match against Brazil. From four total meetings, Norway won two and drew two. Their most famous result was a 2-1 comeback win at the 1998 World Cup group stage in Marseille. The most recent meeting, an August 2006 friendly in Oslo, ended 1-1. This is their first competitive World Cup meeting since that 1998 encounter.
| Date | Result |
| August 2006 | Norway 1–1 Brazil (International Friendly, Oslo) |
| 23 June 1998 | Norway 2–1 Brazil (1998 World Cup group stage, Marseille) |
| Pre-1998 | Two further meetings — Norway unbeaten in all four H2H contests |
Current form
| Team | Last 5 (inc. WC) |
| Brazil | W W W D W — beat Japan 2-1 in R32 (Martinelli late winner) |
| Norway | W L W W D — beat Ivory Coast 2-1 in R32; 13 tournament goals |
Our prediction
Brazil enter as slight favourites despite Paquetá’s absence. Their squad depth — with Raphinha potentially entering the XI — remains considerable, and the quality of Vinícius, Cunha and Rodrygo is a level above most sides remaining in the tournament. Their World Cup pedigree and the individual quality throughout the squad are the key differentiators.
Norway’s historic unbeaten record against Brazil is the most compelling counter-argument. It is not a coincidence: they match up well physically, their defensive organisation is disciplined, and Haaland’s goal threat means Brazil cannot simply sit back. Norway’s counter-attacking system, with Nusa, Bobb and Ødegaard operating behind Haaland, is perfectly designed to exploit the spaces Brazil leave in transition.
This is one of the Round of 16’s most intriguing tactical contests. Brazil’s greater pedigree and squad depth make them the analytical choice, but Norway’s unique historical record and genuine attacking quality make an upset more than possible.
Our prediction: Brazil to win.
Odds and markets
Odds correct at 2300 hrs UTC on 05/07/2026 and subject to change.
How to bet on SportPesa
- Open the Brazil vs Norway event page on SportPesa (link above).
- Choose your market — Single Bet (SB), Multi-Bet (MB), or Live Bet (LB) once the match starts.
- Enter your stake and place your bet.
Frequently asked questions
What time does Brazil vs Norway kick off?
Kick-off is at 20:00 UTC / 23:00 EAT on Sunday, 5 July 2026, at MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA.
Has Norway ever beaten Brazil?
Yes — twice. Norway are the only nation in the world to have never lost a senior men’s international against Brazil across all four meetings. Their most famous win was a 2-1 comeback victory in the 1998 World Cup group stage in Marseille. The two sides also drew twice.
Is Paquetá playing for Brazil?
No. Lucas Paquetá has suffered a tournament-ending injury and will not feature again at this World Cup. His absence is a major creative loss for Brazil in midfield.
Is Raphinha playing for Brazil?
Raphinha has returned to full training and could feature in the starting XI against Norway. Carlo Ancelotti is expected to decide whether to include him, potentially shifting to a three-man front line to replace Paquetá’s creativity. Confirm in the official team announcement before kick-off.
How did Brazil get past Japan in the Round of 32?
Brazil beat Japan 2-1 in the Round of 32 with Gabriel Martinelli scoring a dramatic late winner to seal the victory for the five-time champions.
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