Preview: Sandefjord vs Bodo/Glimt - prediction, team news, lineups

Bodo/Glimt have the chance to register four straight victories for the first time in the 2026 Norwegian top flight as they make the trip to face struggling Sandefjord at Jotun Arena on Sunday afternoon.

The travelling side currently sit second in the Eliteserien table, a single point adrift of leaders Viking despite having played a game more, whereas their hosts occupy the 11th spot, just three points clear of the relegation zone.

Match preview

After relinquishing their two-year title defence to Viking by a single point last term, Bodo/Glimt once again find themselves cast as understudies to the reigning champions, who have been almost faultless throughout their 2026 campaign.

There is, however, no denying that Kjetil Knutsen’s men themselves have been assured in their own league business, having claimed 10 victories from 14 outings in the top flight, nine of which have arrived in clusters of three across the last 11 fixtures.

The most recent of those clusters has come with an added layer of defensive solidity, with each success accompanied by a clean sheet, as Gleam accounted for KFUM Oslo (2-0) and Fredrikstad (1-0) before an Andreas Helmersen-inspired 3-0 rout of Hamkam in their rescheduled round two fixture in midweek.

As it stands, Glimt have found the net on multiple occasions in 10 of their 14 top-flight matches this term, leaving them with a division-high 34 goals, while no other side in the league campaign has shipped fewer than the four-time Eliteserien champions' tally of 11.

Interestingly, the Super Team's only two league setbacks this season have come in matches where they failed to trouble the scoresheet at all, suffering a 5-0 hammering against leaders Viking on matchday four preceding round seven's 1-0 loss to Molde.

Even so, Knutsen's charges will travel with plenty of confidence given their upturn in form on the road, having collected 10 points from their last four away fixtures in the Eliteserien after taking just four from their opening three trips of the campaign.

Sandefjord's recent showing suggests they could struggle in this weekend's meeting, having gone five games without tasting success, alternating between draws and defeats, with Andreas Tegstrom's side managing the fewest points (two) of any team in the division across that stretch.

Facing a demanding double header against the division's top two, the hosts head into Sunday following a 2-1 loss away at league leaders Viking, where Evangelos Patoulidis's second-half leveller ultimately counted for nothing as they conceded a 79th-minute decider from Edvin Austbo.

Sandefjord have now shipped two or more goals in four of their last five matches, and while their rearguard has looked increasingly porous of late, it is in the final third where they have laboured all season, with only Kristiansund managing fewer than their return of 13 in the top flight.

Beyond their struggles going forward, the hosts also carry a difficult head-to-head record into this weekend's contest, having lost seven of their last nine meetings with Bodo/Glimt, though their sole victory in that run came at Jotun Arena in a 2-1 win back in July 2024

Sandefjord's record on home turf tells a more encouraging story, with just a single defeat from six league matches at their Vestfold ground this term (W2, D3), and they will be banking on that resilience proving decisive, knowing that another slip could drag them towards, or even into, the drop zone by the close of the matchday.

Sandefjord Norwegian Eliteserien form:

Bodo/Glimt Norwegian Eliteserien form:

Team News

Bodo/Glimt emerged from their fixture against Hamkam unscathed, leaving the visitors with no fresh concerns on the treatment table, though there remains some debate over whether Knutsen will stick with the same lineup that delivered that victory.

Star forward Kasper Hogh was left on the bench for that match amid interest from Celtic, and Helmersen's telling contribution last time out raises a genuine question over who leads the line this weekend.

Patrick Berg also got on the scoresheet on his first start since returning from the World Cup and looks set to retain his place in midfield alongside Hakon Evjen and Ulrik Saltnes within Knutsen's favoured 4-3-3 setup.

Sandefjord, meanwhile, go into this encounter with an otherwise fully fit squad, with Filip Loftesnes-Bjune (thigh) the only confirmed absentee, though the 21-year-old's unavailability is unlikely to cause too much concern given his fringe status.

The return of Jakob Vester offers a further lift for the home side after the midfielder sat out last weekend's trip to Viking through suspension, though Edvard Sundbo Pettersen, who deputised in that game, could still hold on to his spot.

Nikolaj Moller is expected to spearhead the attack once more despite drawing a blank in each of his last three appearances, with the 24-year-old, who has managed three goals in 13 league matches this season, looking to rediscover his scoring touch.

Sandefjord possible starting lineup:

Hadaya; Pedersen, Lambrix, Holten, Walle Egeli; Mork, Pettersen, Melchior; Patoulidis, Moller, Berntsen

Bodo/Glimt possible starting lineup:

Haikin; Sjovold, Bjortuft, Aleesami, Bjorkan; Evjen, Berg, Saltnes; Blomberg, Hogh, Hauge

We say: Sandefjord 0-2 Bodo/Glimt

Bodo/Glimt have found an added layer of defensive assurance of late, and coming up against one of the division's weaker attacking units further suggests another clean sheet could be on the cards.

Momentum, along with the head-to-head record, reads firmly in the visitors' favour, so a comfortable away victory looks a realistic outcome in this encounter.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.