Is Erling Haaland playing Norway vs Brazil today? Huge update before World Cup last-16 showdown

Norway's biggest World Cup test in nearly three decades arrives on Sunday as Erling Haaland and his teammates prepare for a high-stakes Round of 16 clash against Brazil. With a place in the quarterfinals on the line, fans are eager to know whether the Manchester City striker will once again lead the Scandinavian side after his remarkable scoring run at the tournament.

Is Erling Haaland playing Norway vs Brazil today? Norway banks on its star striker

The short answer is yes. Haaland is expected to start and remains Norway's biggest attacking weapon heading into the knockout clash.The 25-year-old has been one of the standout performers of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scoring five goals in his first three matches. His latest strike, a late winner against Ivory Coast, helped Norway secure its first World Cup knockout victory in 28 years and book a meeting with five-time champions Brazil.

Despite his outstanding form, Haaland has been realistic about the challenge ahead. Norway enters the contest as the underdog, but the squad believes it has every reason to compete.Head coach Stale Solbakken acknowledged Brazil's quality while refusing to concede defeat before kickoff."Brazil are favorites, of course they are, but we are hopeful that we will give them a match, and we are not playing the game for fun — we are playing to win the game and to reach the quarterfinals.

It's possible, but it's very difficult."Solbakken also made it clear how valuable Haaland has become to the national team, describing him as the world's best finisher."It's amazing to have him in the team, we're lucky to have him and it's just about giving him as many opportunities as possible."Haaland has now scored in each of his last 13 competitive internationals for Norway, finding the net 25 times during that stretch.

Norway vs Brazil history offers Haaland and company unexpected hope

While Brazil carries the weight of five World Cup titles and enters the match as favorite under Carlo Ancelotti, history tells a different story whenever these two nations meet.Remarkably, Brazil has never defeated Norway in a senior men's international. Norway owns two victories and two draws from their four previous meetings.Their most memorable encounter came during the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, when Norway stunned Brazil 2-1 in the group stage through goals from Tore Andre Flo and Kjetil Rekdal.

Although Brazil still advanced, the result remains one of Norway's greatest football moments.The two countries last met in an international friendly in 2006, playing out a 1-1 draw. Nearly two decades later, they reunite with a quarterfinal berth at stake.Brazil also possesses a game-changing star in Vinicius Junior, who has scored four goals during the tournament. Solbakken admitted stopping the Real Madrid forward will be one of Norway's biggest tasks, joking that his team might line up in a "7-3-0" formation to contain him.Goalkeeper Orjan Nyland believes Norway's recent progress has built genuine confidence. "Because of what we've done over the last two or three years and what we've achieved so far ... we know we can stop anyone."With Haaland in red-hot form and Norway carrying an unbeaten record against Brazil, Sunday's Round of 16 clash promises to be one of the most intriguing knockout ties of the tournament.