Who: Norway vs Portugal What: UEFA Nations League 2026-2027, Group A4 match Where: Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo, Norway When: Sunday at 7:45pm ( ) How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will bring you all the build-up and live updates from . Record two-time UEFA Nations League champions Portugal continue their title defence on matchday two with a trip to Oslo against an exciting Norway side. After starting their campaign with a 1-0 home win over Wales, holders Portugal face their first big test of the competition on Sunday against the Norwegians, who defied expectations with a historic quarterfinal finish at this year’s FIFA World Cup.
Spearheaded by Erling Haaland, arguably one of Europe’s most dangerous strikers, and captained by midfield maestro Martin Odegaard, Norway made a winning start too, beating their Scandinavian rivals Denmark 3-2 in a thrilling opener. Frustrated after a string of missed chances in the first game, Portugal’s talisman Cristiano Ronaldo will hope to rediscover his form as the team embraces a new chapter under coach Jorge Jesus, whose first game in charge was on Thursday against Wales. The UEFA Nations League was founded in 2018 to reduce the number of meaningless friendlies and give nations competitive matches against equally ranked teams.
In this competition, countries from across Europe participate in a league structure that features promotion and relegation. The teams last met in a 2016 international friendly in Porto when hosts Portugal defeated Norway 3-0. Haaland and Oscar Bobb (Norway): A double from Haaland and another goal from Bobb set Norway on course for a winning start, and the attacking pair should be in the limelight in front of their home crowd this weekend.
Manchester City’s Haaland, especially, has been in top form this term with an incredible seven goals in as many games across all competitions. Ronaldo and Joao Felix (Portugal): Portugal’s striking pair of Ronaldo and Felix ought to be careful in the final third this time out after Felix’s lone strike in the opening win in Lisbon. Ronaldo had a goal ruled out and was among the players who missed a flurry of chances as Portugal registered a whopping 23 total shots but with only five on target, of which just one hit the back of the net.
Both forwards are fit to play, but Portugal will miss the services of their talismanic midfielder Bruno Fernandes, who is injured. Fernandes has played in all seven of Manchester United’s matches this season and featured from the start for Portugal against Wales before being withdrawn in the 90th minute. Jesus said he doesn’t want to “risk” the player against Norway.
I’ve already spoken to him, and I prefer not to risk it in this game, so he’s fully fit for the Denmark match.” Haaland’s double against Denmark on Thursday marked another milestone in the 26-year-old striker’s enviable career. He is now the highest-scoring Nordic man in international football history, surpassing Sweden’s Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Haaland’s goal tally for Norway stands at 64 goals compared with Ibrahimovic’s 62.
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