Norway v France prediction, lineups & tips: Group I decider at Gillette Stadium

France arrive at Gillette Stadium on Friday night knowing Didier Deschamps will not be in the dugout. The France manager left the squad's United States base camp this week to return home following the death of his mother, with the French Football Federation confirming he will miss the Group I decider entirely. Assistant Guy Stéphan takes the reins for what is, on paper, one of the standout fixtures of the FIFA World Cup 2026 group stage.

The personal circumstances surrounding France's bench add an unusual dimension to a fixture that was already shaping up as the group's showpiece. Both sides have won their opening two matches, France beat Senegal 3-1 and then Iraq 3-0, while Norway accounted for Iraq 4-1 and Senegal 3-2, meaning Group I top spot is the only thing left to play for. France lead on goal difference, +5 to Norway's +4, so Norway cannot afford to gift France an early opener if they harbour ambitions of winning the group.

The stakes extend beyond seeding pride. The Group I winner advances to face a third-placed team from one of six other groups in the Round of 32; the runner-up meets the second-placed side from Group E. Both paths are navigable for this calibre of squad, but Norway, making their first World Cup appearance since 1998, will be fully aware that the bracket rewards group winners.

Norway have been the tournament's most eye-catching newcomers. Ståle Solbakken's side have scored seven goals across two games, averaging 3.5 per match, and Erling Haaland has four of them, from just nine shots, with seven on target. The Manchester City forward played all 180 minutes of the group campaign without a substitution and, at 25, is visibly at the peak of his powers in his first major international finals.

France have been no less clinical. Kylian Mbappé reached 16 World Cup goals in 16 appearances during the victory over Iraq, making him the second-highest men's scorer in World Cup history behind only Lionel Messi. The PSG-linked forward scored twice against Senegal, including a stunning 30-yard effort deep in injury time, and added two more against Iraq. Across two games, France have averaged 3.0 goals per match conceding just 0.5, with an xG against of just 0.58 per game. They kept a clean sheet against Iraq and limited Senegal to a single goal from close range in the 95th minute.

Before his departure, Deschamps had given a pre-tournament interview in which he made clear he did not want France viewed as nailed-on finalists. "The World Cup is a major event, as it always is. But the fact that people are already seeing us on 19th July doesn't sit well with me at all," he told reporters. He also acknowledged the relative inexperience of this squad: "I've got plenty of young players with limited experience in major competitions." Stéphan will now deliver the team talk on Friday, though the squad's quality makes the identity of the man holding the clipboard largely academic.

Norway's predicted XI has remained consistent across both matches: Nyland behind a back four of Pedersen, Ajer, Heggem and Møller Wolfe, with Aursnes, Berge and Ødegaard in midfield and Nusa, Haaland and Sørloth up front. Solbakken has not deviated from this template and is expected to keep it intact.

France's predicted line-up under Stéphan is similarly predictable, with only the left-back position, Théo Hernandez likely replacing Digne, looking certain to change. The depth in the French squad is such that Stéphan could rotate the midfield without meaningfully weakening the side.

Norway: Nyland; Pedersen, Ajer, Heggem, Møller Wolfe; Aursnes, Berge, Ødegaard; Nusa, Haaland, Sørloth

France: Maignan; Koundé, Saliba, Upamecano, T Hernandez; Tchouaméni, Kanté, Rabiot; Dembélé, Mbappé, Barcola

Norway v France kicks off at 20:00 BST on Friday 26 June at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough. The match is live on ITV1 and STV in the UK, with coverage beginning at 19:00 BST. You can stream it free via ITVX or the STV Player with a TV licence. Highlights will be available on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website after the final whistle.