On November 18, China time, the Norwegian team successfully topped Group C of the UEFA Nations League B, not only securing promotion to the A league but also receiving a significant boost in their bid for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will expand to 48 teams, with 16 slots allocated to the European region. From March 2025 to March 2026, the European qualifiers for the World Cup will take place, with the participating teams divided into 12 groups. The winners of each group will qualify directly for the World Cup, while the 12 runners-up will join the four best group winners from the UEFA Nations League (provided they are not already in the top two of their World Cup qualifying group) to compete in a playoff for the remaining four spots.
The four group winners of the UEFA Nations League A are Portugal, France, Germany, and Spain, all traditional European powerhouses with a low likelihood of finishing outside the top two in their World Cup qualifying groups. In the B league, Norway secured 13 points with 4 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss. Currently, only England (15 points from 5 wins and 1 loss) has definitely outperformed Norway, and Turkey (11 points from 3 wins and 2 draws) can surpass Norway if they win their final match away against Montenegro. Like England, Turkey is also likely to finish in the top two of their World Cup qualifying group.
This means that even if Norway fails to secure a top-two finish in their World Cup qualifying group, they have a very high chance of securing a playoff spot, adding an extra layer of insurance to their World Cup bid.
