Dugout Discussion
26 June 2026 143 comments
FPL Marc FPL Marc
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Friday night brings the final round of Group I encounters, where Norway and France are meeting in Boston to decide top spot.

Meanwhile, the winner of Senegal v Iraq in Toronto will have a chance of third-place progression.

Both matches get underway at 20:00 BST.

TEAM NEWS

By making 10 changes to his starting lineup, head coach Stale Solbakken is hinting that he doesn’t think the match is winnable.

Erling Haaland and Martin Odegaard are rested in this overhaul, as only Fredrik Aursnes keeps his place. Julian Ryerson is on the bench, too.

Opponents France bring in Maxence Lacroix, Theo Hernandez, Aurelien Tchouameni and Desire Doue for William Saliba, Lucas Digne, Adrien Rabiot and Bradley Barcola.

Elsewhere, there are five Senegal switches. Edouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly, El Hadji Malick Diouf, Pape Gueye and Nicolas Jackson step aside for Mory Diaw, Abdoulaye Seck, Ismail Jakobs, Habib Diarra and Ibrahim Mbaye.

As for Iraq, Hussein Ali, Aymen Hussein, Zaid Tahseen and Zaid Ismael are on the bench. In come Ali Al Hamadi, Frans Putros, Ali Jasim and Rebin Sulaka.


LINE-UPS

Norway XI: Selvik; Aursnes, Ostigard, Falchener, Bjorkan; Thorsvtedt, Berg, Aasgaard; Bobb, Stand Larsen, Schjelderup

Subs: Nyland, Tangvik, Moller Wolfe, Ajer, Langas, Heggem, Ryerson, Holmgren Pedersen, Odegaard, Thorsby, Berge, Sorloth, Haaland, Nusa, Hauge

France XI: Maignan; Koundé, Upamecano, Lacroix, T. Hernandez; Tchouaméni, Koné; Doué, Olise, Dembélé; Mbappé

Subs: Samba, Risser, Konate, Digne, L Hernandez, Gusto, Saliba, Rabiot, Kante, Cherki, Zaire-Emery, Barcola, Mateta, Akliouche, Thuram


Senegal XI: Diaw; Diatta, Seck, Niakhate, Jakobs; I Gueye, H Diarra; I Sarr, L Camara, Mane; Mbaye

Subs: Y Diouf, A Mendy, Koulibaly, E Diouf, M Sarr, I Ndiaye, P Gueye, P Sarr, Ciss, Diao, Dieng, C Ndiaye, B Ndiaye, Jackson

Iraq XI: Basil; Putros, Sulaka, Hashim, Doski; Jasim, Al Ammari, Iqbal; Qasem, Al Hamadi, Bayesh

Subs: Talib, Hassan, Maknzi, H Ali, Younis, Saadoun, Tahseen, Sher, Yakob, Ismael, Yousif, Hussein, Farji, M Ali, Amyn


FPL Marc Broadcaster, writer and overthinker. Hoping that ‘differential potential’ will catch on.

143 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    2 hours, 28 mins ago

    Haaland dropped, not good enough…

  2. Bobby Digital
    • 8 Years
    2 hours, 9 mins ago

    This is gonna get ugly

  3. Travel Notes
    • 3 Years
    2 hours, 8 mins ago

    Dembele 1-0

  4. Thanos
    • 4 Years
    2 hours, 8 mins ago

    Dembele G
    Mbappe A

    1. GreennRed
      • 14 Years
      2 hours, 5 mins ago

      Schoolboy defending. LB awol.

      1. Thanos
        • 4 Years
        1 hour, 54 mins ago

        They fielded a school team lolz

  5. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    2 hours, 7 mins ago

    Just what they deserve.

  6. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    2 hours, 6 mins ago

    Missed the pre-match, what did Keane and Wrighty make of Norway lineup?

  7. Bobby Digital
    • 8 Years
    2 hours, 4 mins ago

    How's Mane doing?

  8. CoracAld2831
    • 5 Years
    2 hours, 3 mins ago

    If this result holds (SEN v IRQ 1-0), Scotland are officially out of the R32.

    1. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      2 hours, 1 min ago

      Quite right too. Reaching the knockouts courtesy of scoring a single goal v Haiti, makes a mockery of the number of teams in the comp.

      1. Jafooli
        • 14 Years
        1 hour, 54 mins ago

        If only the qualification criteria had been goals scored against Haiti, as it should have been, we’d be fine

    2. tutankamun
      • 16 Years
      2 hours ago

      At least it puts us out of our misery

    3. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      1 hour, 56 mins ago

      Iraq down to 10 men so scotland can book their flights home

  9. Scapegoat Salah
    • 9 Years
    2 hours, 3 mins ago

    First World Cup I’ve watched since 2014 as usually away for work in the summer, wow didn’t realise how good Mbappe is, guy is a joke

    1. Bobby Digital
      • 8 Years
      2 hours, 2 mins ago

      Been the best WC in a while tbh.

      1. Jafooli
        • 14 Years
        1 hour, 53 mins ago

        Agreed, enjoying it a lot

    2. GreennRed
      • 14 Years
      2 hours, 1 min ago

      Are you an astronaut?

      1. The Bandit
        • 15 Years
        1 hour, 59 mins ago

        Space cadet.

    3. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      1 hour, 57 mins ago

      No point being football fan if u cant watch world cup

  10. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    1 hour, 59 mins ago

    2 games decided in 10 mins. France lead 2nd string norway and senegal lead 10 man iraq.

    1. tutankamun
      • 16 Years
      1 hour, 57 mins ago

      And next kick off in just under 5 hours. Great.

    2. Travel Notes
      • 3 Years
      1 hour, 57 mins ago

      Senegal need to go for goals.

  11. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    1 hour, 55 mins ago

    Good advantage

  12. Travel Notes
    • 3 Years
    1 hour, 55 mins ago

    Second goal for Dembele.

  13. Thanos
    • 4 Years
    1 hour, 55 mins ago

    Dembele Gx2
    Mbappe Ax2

  14. Bobby Digital
    • 8 Years
    1 hour, 54 mins ago

    Dembele G
    Mbappe A

  15. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    1 hour, 54 mins ago

    What are Norway thinking, benching their guns?

    1. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      1 hour, 52 mins ago

      Good decision to play their second team lol

    2. Bobby Digital
      • 8 Years
      1 hour, 52 mins ago

      Thinking they're through

      1. jacob1989
        • 4 Years
        1 hour, 52 mins ago

        They play ivory coast

    3. keefy59
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 8 Years
      1 hour, 47 mins ago

      Haaland organising the Viking chanting & rowing
      From the bench

  16. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    1 hour, 53 mins ago

    France lose ca

  17. Travel Notes
    • 3 Years
    1 hour, 53 mins ago

    Norway pull one back.
    Aasgaard.

  18. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    1 hour, 53 mins ago

    Three great goals

    1. GreennRed
      • 14 Years
      1 hour, 52 mins ago

      Good alright but shocking defendung on all 3.

      1. The Bandit
        • 15 Years
        1 hour, 51 mins ago

        Should’ve said three great strikes

  19. Thanos
    • 4 Years
    1 hour, 53 mins ago

    Norway score

    Ridiculous defending from France

  20. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    1 hour, 52 mins ago

    Aasgaard scores.. interesting name

  21. Bobby Digital
    • 8 Years
    1 hour, 51 mins ago

    Do something Mané!

    1. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      1 hour, 50 mins ago

      He causes the ree card

      1. Bobby Digital
        • 8 Years
        1 hour, 46 mins ago

        He needs to cause a goal

        1. Jafooli
          • 14 Years
          1 hour, 45 mins ago

          Lol…

  22. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    1 hour, 50 mins ago

    Reminds of being a kid and playing headers & volly’s

    1. Travel Notes
      • 3 Years
      1 hour, 50 mins ago

      With jumpers as goalposts.

      1. Jafooli
        • 14 Years
        1 hour, 46 mins ago

        Couldn’t afford jumpers, so used empty lard packets…

  23. Travel Notes
    • 3 Years
    1 hour, 42 mins ago

    Dembele hat-trick

    1. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      1 hour, 41 mins ago

      Again mbappe assist? Stopped watching and no french players vs this team worse than tunisia or uzbekistan

  24. CoracAld2831
    • 5 Years
    1 hour, 42 mins ago

    Delbele 3rd

    1. CoracAld2831
      • 5 Years
      1 hour, 42 mins ago

      *Dembele

  25. Jafooli
    • 14 Years
    1 hour, 41 mins ago

    Dembele - 30mins hatrick, wozzers…

  26. GreennRed
    • 14 Years
    1 hour, 41 mins ago

    Dembele's left footed.

    In case a Norwegian defender is logged in.

    1. Jafooli
      • 14 Years
      1 hour, 26 mins ago

      Ha, ha..

  27. Fifa las vegas
    • 13 Years
    1 hour, 41 mins ago

    Wish I had Dembele now ffs 😆

    Load up on Mbappe, Olise and Dembele for Rd 32.

  28. jacob1989
    • 4 Years
    1 hour, 39 mins ago

    Highest goals in 1 game.. oleg sakenko of russia vs cameroon.. 5 goals.. can dembele match or better it?

    1. GreennRed
      • 14 Years
      1 hour, 37 mins ago

      If France get a 4th France will roll some subs in.

  29. CoracAld2831
    • 5 Years
    1 hour, 33 mins ago

    Haaland looked a little embarrassed there.

  30. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    1 hour, 30 mins ago

    McCoist sounds like he been suffering with bad stomach ache all half. Send him home on the Scottish team plane.