- Norway have won their last 2 games, beating Ivory Coast and Brazil to reach this FIFA World Cup clash.
- England have won their last 3 in a row, including a 3-2 win over Mexico and a 2-1 success against DR Congo in the previous round.
- England are the slight favourites at 2.0, with Norway coming in at 3.95 and the draw at 3.7.
Haaland versus Kane: The best versus the best
England are the favourites here and they are probably the likelier of the two to get the job done on Saturday, but Norway have enough firepower to keep this all the way down to the wire. They are coming off 2 wins in a row, bouncing back from a 4-1 hammering at the hands of France with victories over Ivory Coast and Brazil in the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup.
Philippe Clement was appointed Norway head coach on 18 November 2025 and his side have taken on the traits of many of his previous teams - fast, direct and vertical. Norway's shape is built around getting the ball quickly and wide and funneling it centrally for Haaland and Sørloth to pounce, while they have high-full backs who provide the width.
On the other hand, England have been structured and disciplined since Thomas Tuchel took charge on 1 January 2025 and his 4-2-3-1 is a balance of controlled midfield base, half-space control and width to manufacture big chances.
The contrast of styles should make for a tasty fixture in Miami Stadium - Norway want the game to be open and they have the raw firepower to cause major damage in transition, while England want to control the territory, control the tempo and control the game.
England can win it with a one-off
England are 2.0 favourites for a reason - they have won their last 3 matches in a row. Their record in the last 5 games across all competitions is 4 wins and 1 draw, which is momentum and which is control. Norway's record over the same number of games is 4 wins and 1 loss, which also looks good, but it includes a 4-1 loss to France and a few other games that they just did enough to get through.
I will take England to nick this one at a short price because Norway have enough about them to cause serious problems. The goals market is oddly balanced as well - Over 2.5 at 1.9 and Both Teams to Score - No at 1.98, so I'd look for this to be settled by one moment, or the team that can get the sharpest finish to a half-chance.
Erling Haaland has 3 goals in 2 FIFA World Cup knockout-stage games for Norway, as does Harry Kane for England, with the Spurs man scoring 5 of England's 11 goals in their last 5 fixtures. Both are the most likely finishers, but England's ability to spread the load around sets them apart.
Andreas Schjelderup has 3 assists in Norway's last 5 matches, giving Haaland the type of service that can make a half-chance a dagger finish, while England have averaged 1.80 goals per game in the FIFA World Cup so far, scoring 18 goals in total, a far more measured, clean attacking approach to Norway's 2.10 scored and 1.40 conceded per game across all competitions.
