Norway and France close Group I in Boston on the final day, a fixture that pits Scandinavia’s most exciting football generation against the reigning World Cup finalists. These sides have not met at a World Cup before, and by this stage in the group, the stakes will be clear for both teams.

Norway’s 1998 World Cup run produced one of that tournament’s most memorable moments when they defeated Brazil 2-1 in a group stage match in Marseille. Brazil were favourites, and Norway’s disciplined tactical performance and opportunistic finishing caught them cold. That match is still celebrated in Norwegian football history. Now a new generation, led by Erling Haaland, has a chance to create its own landmark.

Haaland’s presence gives Norway a match-winner of the highest order. His goalscoring records at Manchester City are unprecedented. At international level the team around him has not always matched his quality, but by 2026 Norway’s squad has depth and European experience throughout. A final-day meeting with France, potentially with qualification on the line, would be the kind of moment Haaland was made for.

France are two-time world champions with a tradition of producing technically brilliant, physically imposing players who perform at major tournaments. Kylian Mbappe leads a generation that includes considerable depth. France’s 2022 final appearance against Argentina, where they recovered from 2-0 down before losing on penalties, showed both their character and their fragility in the biggest moments.

Gillette Stadium in Foxborough outside Boston holds over 65,000 and has a long history as a major sporting venue. Boston’s large European immigrant communities, including significant French and Scandinavian populations, will give this Group I finale a real atmosphere.

One of football’s great individual players, Haaland, faces one of football’s great national programs, France. Group I ends here.