Morocco Team Picture during the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations AFCON final match between Senegal and Morocco at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco on 18 January 2026 ©Weam Mostafa/BackpagePix
Thursday Apr 16, 2026. 10:49
Norway national team coach Stale Solbakken says he is happy to face Morocco in a 2026 FIFA World Cup warm-up match.
Norway, who are returning to the global stage for the first time since 1998, will face the Atlas Lions in a friendly game at the Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, on Sunday 7 June.
The Europeans have been drawn in Group I alongside France, Iraq and Senegal – with Solbakken noting that taking on Morocco will serve as great preparation for their clash with the Teranga Lions, set for the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on the morning of Monday 23 June.
“We’ve been working to prepare for a match against an opponent like this before the World Cup, and we’re very happy to be facing Morocco,” Solbakken told the Norwegian Football Federation’s website.
He added, “They are a good team, somewhat similar to Senegal, and they present a different kind of challenge compared to what we’re used to, and they play on another continent. So this match is ideal for us.”
Morocco, who reached the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup, becoming the first African team to do so, will play Brazil (Sunday 14 June), Scotland (Saturday 20 June) and Haiti (Thursday 25 June) in Group C at the 2026 tournament.