Foxborough: As France prepares to face a resurgent Norway side in their final FIFA World Cup Group I fixture at the Boston Stadium on Friday, 26 June 2026, Didier Deschamps’ men have the chance to dismantle one of the most specific and enduring statistical anomalies in football history.
The Norwegian national team holds a unique, 88-year distinction on the global stage: across four World Cup tournament appearances spanning nearly a century, Norway have never lost a World Cup match to any nation other than Italy.
The Origins of the Italian Hex
The extraordinary sequence began in France at the 1938 World Cup, where a spirited Norway side were knocked out in the opening round following a 2-1 extra-time defeat to Vittorio Pozzo’s eventual champions, courtesy of a winner from Silvio Piola.
When the Scandinavian nation finally returned to the world stage 56 years later at USA ’94, the trend continued. Despite securing a famous 1-0 victory over Mexico and holding the Republic of Ireland to a goalless draw, Norway were eliminated in the group stage on goals scored. Their solitary defeat in the United States was a 1-0 loss to Italy in East Rutherford.
Four years later, at France ’98, Norway recorded their greatest ever tournament victory by defeating Brazil 2-1 in Marseille to reach the Round of 16. Their march was abruptly halted once again by their familiar Mediterranean nemesis, losing 1-0 to a Christian Vieri strike.
Norway’s lifetime record at the tournament ahead of the 2026 tournament read: eight matches played, two wins, three draws, and three defeats-with all three losses inflicted strictly by the Italians.
A Modern Resurgence in North America
Following a 28-year hiatus from the global showpiece, Ståle Solbakken’s modern Norway side qualified for the expanded 48-team 2026 tournament by emphatically topping their UEFA qualifying group, which included a symbolic 4-1 thrashing of Italy at the San Siro in November 2025.
Once in North America, the Nordics quickly preserved their historic record of avoiding non-Italian defeats. Led by Manchester City phenom Erling Haaland, Norway cruised through their opening Group I fixtures, defeating Iraq 4-1 and edging past Senegal 3-2 to secure knockout qualification. Seismic sensors at the University of Bergen even registered localised topsoil tremors from fans celebrating Haaland’s goals back home.
With Italy failing to qualify for Group I, the stage in Foxborough is perfectly set for a heavyweight European showdown. France, powered by captain Kylian Mbappé, presents the ultimate threat to this historical anomaly. If Les Bleus secure a victory, they will become the first non-Italian nation since the tournament’s inception in 1930 to defeat Norway in a World Cup match, shattering an 88-year hoodoo.