Norway vs Denmark: Scandinavian Rivalry Opens a New Nations League Chapter
Norway’s arrival in League A changes the significance of this Scandinavian meeting before a ball has even been kicked. Ståle Solbakken’s team are entering the top tier of the Nations League for the first time, following a summer World Cup campaign that took Norway into the quarter-finals, while Denmark begin another demanding international cycle with a new group of players around Brian Riemer. The opening fixture is also the first of four Nations League matches Norway will play during this September-October window, making squad management important from the outset. Ullevaal provides the setting, with the match scheduled for 20:45 CET on Thursday, and the subsequent meeting with Portugal arriving only three days later. That compressed schedule means the first selection is likely to reveal how Solbakken intends to balance continuity from the World Cup with the need to manage several demanding fixtures. UEFA lists the match as Group A4’s opening game, alongside Portugal versus Wales.
The central footballing question is how Denmark deal with Norway’s attacking structure without allowing Erling Haaland to receive the ball in the areas where he is most dangerous. Norway’s official squad contains Haaland alongside Martin Ødegaard, Antonio Nusa, Oscar Bobb and Jørgen Strand Larsen, giving Solbakken several different attacking profiles to work with. Denmark have their own central threat through Rasmus Højlund, supported by Mikkel Damsgaard, Morten Hjulmand, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg and Victor Froholdt. The midfield contest could therefore shape the game, particularly if Norway attempt to push Ødegaard into advanced positions while Denmark use Hjulmand and Højbjerg to protect the space in front of their defence. Recent Danish coverage has specifically focused on the comparison between Højlund and Haaland, while also highlighting Denmark’s midfield experience.
Availability has altered both squads before the opening whistle. Norway will be without Alexander Sørloth, with Solbakken confirming that the Atlético Madrid forward would not be ready for the Nations League fixtures after his injury, while Denmark have lost several experienced options: Andreas Christensen has a confirmed left-thigh strain and is unavailable for the time being, Alexander Bah withdrew after a recurrence of his right-shoulder problem, and Kasper Dolberg left the Danish camp with a knee injury and was ruled out for the upcoming Nations League matches. Denmark responded to the departures of Bah and Dolberg by bringing in Anton Gaaei and Mohamed Daramy, while UEFA’s matchday squad list confirms the personnel available for the Oslo fixture.
The pre-match discussion has also carried an extra layer because Solbakken and Riemer know each other from their time together at FC Copenhagen, where Riemer previously worked under Solbakken. Norwegian and Danish reporting has consequently paid attention to the coaching relationship as well as the football itself, although Solbakken said contact between the two has naturally been reduced as the match approached. Danish coverage has concentrated on the changes forced by injuries and on how Riemer reshapes the side around the available players, while Norwegian reporting has emphasised the country’s first League A campaign and the challenge of following the World Cup. No official starting XIs had been released when this preview was prepared, so the personnel tables below deliberately show confirmed matchday squad members rather than presenting predictions as official selections. **Variation rule for this edition:** the preview begins with Norway’s new League A status and uses the midfield battle as the main tactical thread before moving into injuries and the coaching storyline.
❗ Confirmed Medical & Availability Report
Norway
| Norway | ||
|---|---|---|
| Out / Ruled Out | Alexander Sørloth | Not fit after an injury; Ståle Solbakken confirmed he would miss the Nations League fixtures. |
Sørloth is the confirmed Norwegian attacking absence. Solbakken stated before the squad was finalised that the Atlético Madrid forward would not recover in time for the opening Nations League fixtures.
Denmark
| Denmark | ||
|---|---|---|
| Out / Ruled Out | Andreas Christensen | Left-thigh strain confirmed by FC Barcelona; unavailable for the time being. |
| Out / Ruled Out | Alexander Bah | Withdrawn from Denmark’s squad after a recurrence of his right-shoulder injury. |
| Out / Ruled Out | Kasper Dolberg | Left the national-team camp with a knee injury and was ruled out for the four upcoming Nations League matches. |
Christensen’s diagnosis was confirmed by FC Barcelona, while Bah and Dolberg were released from the Denmark camp after their respective injuries. Denmark subsequently adjusted the squad, with Anton Gaaei and Mohamed Daramy brought in.
🔵 Matchday Squad Picture & Key Personnel
Official XI status: The starting lineups had not been announced at the time of this preview. The following tables therefore contain confirmed players in the official UEFA matchday squad rather than predicted starting elevens. UEFA’s squad list is updated on the morning of the match.
| Norway — Confirmed Key Personnel | ||
|---|---|---|
| Captain | Martin Ødegaard | Norway captain and central creative midfielder. |
| Forward | Erling Haaland | Norway’s principal central attacking option. |
| Midfield | Patrick Berg | Midfield option included in the official matchday squad. |
| Attack | Antonio Nusa | Wide attacking option in Solbakken’s squad. |
| Defence | Julian Ryerson | Defensive player included in the official squad. |
| Denmark — Confirmed Key Personnel | ||
|---|---|---|
| Midfield | Morten Hjulmand | Central midfielder included in the official matchday squad. |
| Midfield | Pierre-Emile Højbjerg | Experienced midfield option selected by Brian Riemer. |
| Attack | Rasmus Højlund | Central forward in Denmark’s official squad. |
| Attack | Mikkel Damsgaard | Creative attacking midfielder included for the opening Nations League fixtures. |
| Defence | Joachim Andersen | Senior central-defensive option in the official squad. |
📍 Essential Details Before Kick-Off
- Competition: UEFA Nations League A, Group A4.
- Venue: Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo.
- Kick-off: 20:45 CET on 24 September 2026.
- Norway: Beginning its first-ever Nations League campaign in League A.
- Denmark: Opening the group away from home before facing Wales and Portugal.
- Norway injury absence: Alexander Sørloth.
- Denmark injury absences: Andreas Christensen, Alexander Bah and Kasper Dolberg.
- Starting XIs: Not officially announced at the time this preview was prepared.
UEFA’s official fixture schedule confirms Norway vs Denmark as a Group A4 match at 20:45 CET on 24 September, while the Norwegian federation confirms Ullevaal Stadion as the venue.
| ⚽Full Match | |
|---|---|
| 🥅 Watch | Server #1 |
