Preview: Norway vs Switzerland - prediction, team news, lineups

As both nations ramp up their preparations for the upcoming World Cup, Norway will welcome Switzerland to Oslo for an international friendly on Tuesday.

Both teams will conclude their March international breaks in the Norwegian capital before turning their focus to the tournament beginning in June.

Match preview

Norway head back into action in Oslo on Tuesday aiming to make a return to winning ways to round off their pair of March friendlies, as the 2026 World Cup draws near.

The Landslaget booked their place in this year's tournament in USA, Mexico and Canada in style, sealing their return to the global stage for the first time since the 1998 edition, in which they reached the round of 16.

Indeed, they were one of just two nations to top their group with a perfect record, winning all eight of their matches against Italy, Israel, Estonia and Moldova, conceding just five goals along the way while scoring 37 - 16 of which came from talisman Erling Haaland who topped the scoring charts of European qualifying.

After ending that campaign in style late last year with a pair of 4-1 victories, Stale Solbakken's team kicked off 2026 with a friendly away at Netherlands last week, and after leading through Andreas Schjelderup, they were pegged back by a Virgil van Dijk leveller and sent home with a 2-1 defeat as Tijjani Reijnders scored the decisive goal for the hosts early in the second half.

Now with just Tuesday's friendly and a June meeting with Sweden between them and the group stage, starting with a clash against Senegal in New Jersey, Norway will aim to bounce back from their first loss since October 2024 and build confidence with a win on home soil on Tuesday.

Their visitors, meanwhile, head to Oslo also aiming to bounce back and complete the March friendlies with a victory after a narrow defeat last time out.

Switzerland are also gearing up for the 2026 World Cup, which will be their sixth consecutive appearance on the global stage, having qualified from the group stage and exited in the round of 16 in the last three attempts.

The Rossocrociati also guaranteed their spot in the summer's tournament by topping their first-round group, going unbeaten with four wins and two draws from their six outings, having held second-placed Kosovo off with a draw in the final round of games.

Murat Yakin's team then went into action for the first time this year at home to Germany on Friday and fell just short in an eventful contest, leading twice through Dan Ndoye and Breel Embolo before falling 3-2 down, levelling through Joel Monteiro and eventually losing as Florian Wirtz put the visitors back ahead five minutes from time.

Now with limited opportunities left before the commencement of the World Cup in June, Switzerland will bid to end their opening camp of 2026 with a statement friendly victory away from home.

Norway form (all competitions):

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Switzerland form (all competitions):

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Team News

Norway may see the return of talismanic striker Haaland, who was afforded time off during the Netherlands fixture last week but has since re-joined the international camp with 55 goals to his name in 48 senior caps.

There is competition in attack, with Schjelderup, Jorgen Strand Larsen, Alexander Sorloth, Antonio Nusa and Jens Petter Hauge also competing for spots.

Elsewhere, Patrick Berg should again be joined in midfield by the Fulham duo of Oscar Bobb and Sander Berge, while Leo Ostigard may come into the middle of the back four alongside Kristoffer Ajer.

Murat Yakin made extensive changes during last week's game against Germany, and he will continue to assess his squad ahead of the World Cup, albeit with the starting XI likely looking similar.

Embolo and Ndoye will continue in attack after their goals last time out, taking the former to 23 for his country, meaning Noah Okafor and Ruben Vargas may compete for the final place.

Sunderland's Granit Xhaka continues to be a key man in midfield, with 144 caps and 16 international goals to his name, with Remo Freuler another mainstay alongside the 33-year-old.

Norway possible starting lineup:

Nyland; Ryerson, Ajer, Ostigard, Wolfe; Bobb, Berge, Berg; Sorloth, Haaland, Schjelderup

Switzerland possible starting lineup:

Kobel; Widmer, Elvedi, Akanji, Rodriguez; Freuler, Xhaka, Rieder; Okafor, Embolo, Ndoye

We say: Norway 2-1 Switzerland

With both sides possessing plenty of quality and keen to put defeats behind them as the World Cup approaches, we anticipate a hard-fought and close friendly in Oslo.

If Haaland does return from the outset after his break, Norway head in with an advantage in firepower and should come out on top on home soil.

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