Uncapped Hamburg SV goalkeeper Sander Tangvik has won the race for Norway’s final World Cup spot, following a selection headache that required a final sign-off from King Harald on Thursday.
Otherwise, there were few surprises as Norway will be led by captain Martin Odegaard, fresh from a Premier League title victory with Arsenal, and Manchester City striker Erling Haaland.
Tangvik was named in Stale Solbakken’s 26-man squad alongside veteran Orjan Haskjold Nyland and Egil Selvik after intense media speculation surrounding the group of shot-stoppers, following a unique squad announcement delivered by the Norwegian monarch via a pre-recorded video.
The 23-year-old’s inclusion caps off a chaotic goalkeeper selection process triggered by an injury to SK Brann’s Mathias Dyngeland and FIFA’s rejection of Bodo/Glimt keeper Nikita Haikin’s nationality switch, leaving Tangvik as the only uncapped player in the squad.
Norway is in Group I at the FIFA World Cup 2026, along with France, Senegal and Iraq, in what has been labelled the tournament’s ‘group of death’.
Norway squad:
Goalkeepers: Orjan Haskjold Nyland, Egil Selvik, Sander Tangvik
Defenders: Julian Ryerson, Marcus Holmgren Pedersen, David Moller Wolfe, Fredrik Bjorkan, Kristoffer Ajer, Torbjorn Heggem, Leo Skiri Ostigard, Sondre Langas, Henrik Falchener
Midfielders: Martin Odegaard, Sander Berge, Fredrik Aursnes, Patrick Berg, Kristian Thorstvedt, Morten Thorsby, Thelo Aasgaard
Forwards: Erling Haaland, Alexander Sorloth, Jorgen Strand Larsen, Antonio Nusa, Oscar Bobb, Andreas Schjelderup, Jens Petter Hauge
Published on May 22, 2026