Haaland backs France to win World Cup 2026

Haaland said France could beat Norway and go on to win World Cup 2026, adding intrigue to a key Group I showdown.

Haaland’s France remark turns World Cup race into a talking point

Erling Haaland’s latest World Cup 2026 comments have drawn attention beyond Norway’s results, with the striker saying France are the team most likely to beat his side and go on to win the tournament, according to NDTV Sports’ reporting. The remark came after Norway secured a place in the knockout stage with a 3-2 win over Senegal, setting up a final group match against France.sports.ndtv

What Haaland said

According to NDTV Sports, Haaland was asked about Norway’s upcoming meeting with Kylian Mbappe’s France after the win over Senegal. He said he did not care much about that match in the moment because Norway had already advanced, and added that France were “probably going to win” against Norway and “probably going to win the whole tournament”.sports.ndtv

The comments spread quickly online, with NDTV Sports reporting that the interview video went viral and triggered reactions from fans. That reaction is part of why the story has gone beyond a standard group-stage preview and into broader tournament chatter.sports.ndtv

Why France matters

France’s meeting with Norway is not just another fixture, according to NDTV Sports’ account. It will decide who finishes top of Group I and could affect the knockout route for both teams. If the match ends in a draw, France would hold the advantage because of a better goal difference, NDTV Sports reported.sports.ndtv

The game also carries added appeal because it brings together Haaland and Mbappe, two of the most prominent young goalscorers in world football. NDTV Sports noted that the pair have faced each other in club football before, but not yet in an international match.sports.ndtv

Tournament context

Haaland has been central to Norway’s push into the knockout phase, scoring two goals in each of their first two Group I matches against Iraq and Senegal, according to NDTV Sports. Mbappe has also started strongly, with both players on four goals in the tournament and trailing Lionel Messi by one in the scoring chart, NDTV Sports reported.sports.ndtv

That gives the France-Norway clash a second layer of importance: it is not only about group positioning, but also about a direct comparison between two of the tournament’s standout forwards. In practical terms, the match could shape both momentum and bracket path for the rest of the competition.sports.ndtv

What happens next

Norway’s immediate focus is the France match, but the broader takeaway is that Haaland has already framed the contest as one where his side enters as the underdog. From a tournament perspective, that kind of public assessment can sharpen attention on France’s title prospects and increase pressure on both teams.sports.ndtv

If France do finish the job in Group I, the result would reinforce the pre-tournament view that they belong among the leading contenders, while also giving Haaland’s blunt prediction an extra layer of weight. For readers following the World Cup race, this is one of those group-stage games that may matter long after the final whistle.