​Norway Virtually Secures 2026 World Cup Berth! Italy Needs 9-Goal Win in Final Match to Overtake

November 14 – In the ninth round of the European World Cup qualifiers, Norway defeated Estonia 4-1, firmly maintaining their path to qualification. In a later match, Italy beat Moldova 2-0, but Norway's qualifying prospects remain almost unshaken.  

Currently, Norway still holds a 3-point lead over Italy. The two teams will face each other in the final round to determine the final standings. Theoretically, if Italy wins, the two teams would be level on points. However, the reality is that there is still a massive 17-goal difference in goal difference between them. In other words, Italy would need to beat Norway by at least 9-0 in the final match to have any chance of overtaking them – a result that is almost impossible.  

For Norway, their last appearance in a major international tournament was at Euro 2000, and their last World Cup participation dates back to the 1998 edition in France. Led by Erling Haaland and a new generation of standout players, Norway is now striding toward a long-awaited return to the World Cup stage.