Brazil face Norway in a World Cup last-16 clash laden with goalscoring firepower as golden boot contenders Vinicius Jr and Erling Haaland look to propel their nations into the quarter-finals.
Both sides required late winners to make it past the round of 32, with Gabriel Martinelli’s stoppage-time winner against Japan then followed by Haaland’s decisive strike in Norway’s first ever knockout win against Ivory Coast.
The pressure is building on Carlo Ancelotti’s side to hit a higher level if they are to continue their pursuit of a sixth star, and Norway will fancy their chances of causing an upset after taking the World Cup by storm in their first finals appearance since 1998.
England will be keeping a close eye on the outcome in New Jersey ahead of their own last-16 tie with Mexico later this evening, knowing that they will face the winner of this match in the quarters if they emerge victorious at the Estadio Azteca.
Follow all the latest updates from Brazil vs Mexico in our live blog below:
Brazil vs Norway LIVE
- Brazil face stern test of Norway in the World Cup last-16 | Live on ITV1
- Vinicius Jr and Erling Haaland go head to head in battle for golden boot
- Winner could face England in quarter-final if they beat Mexico later tonight
- 3' Offside! Berg's delightful finish won't stand due with Sorloth offside in the build-up [BRA 0-0 NOR]
- Brazil XI: Alisson; Danilo, Marquinho, Gabriel, Santos; Guimaraes, Casemiro; Rayan, Vinicius; Cunha, Martinelli
- Norway XI: Nyland; Ryerson, Ajer, Heggem, Wolfe; Nusa, Berge, Berg, Odegaard; Sorloth, Haaland
Brazil 0-0 Norway
21:09 , Alan Smith
9’ - Brazil get control of it for the first time and Vinicius pulls out some early tricks to ease past Ajer. He runs out of space though and the ball runs out for a goal kick when he tries to make his way into the area.
Brazil 0-0 Norway
21:06 , Alan Smith
6’ - Norway are well on top. Odegaard is too quick for Casemiro during a neat spell of possession. It is again worked out to Sorloth on the right and this time his cross is blocked for a corner.
Ancelotti opts for 4-4-2
21:05 , Richard Jolly in New Jersey
We were wondering how Brazil would line up. The answer appears to be 4-4-2 with Martinelli on the left and Vinicius up front with Cunha.
Brazil 0-0 Norway
21:04 , Alan Smith
3’ - Norway counterattack and Berg has the ball in the net but the offside flag goes up! Odegaard leads the break and feeds Sorloth on the right but he is certainly off before centering the ball, with Berg finishing well.
That is an early warning sign for Brazil. And a mental boost for Norway if not quite the early goal they briefly thought was theirs.
Kick-off! Brazil 0-0 Norway
21:00 , Alan Smith
And we’re underway in New Jersey.
Norway, in red tops, white shorts and dark socks, kick off and play right to left as we view.
Brazil are in their classic yellow, blue, white combo.
Weather watch
20:58 , Alan Smith
It looks an overcast, muggy day in New Jersey - but the temperature gauge is nowhere near the previous two days.
Dai, dai, ikou, dale, allez, let's go
20:53 , Alan Smith
Dai, dai is being blared out, which means we’re just four more songs away from kick-off!
The teams are making the long walk from the tunnel to the centre circle.
Solbakken: We can hurt Brazil if at our best
20:50 , Alan Smith
“We've been on a very good run, we're full of confidence and we're comfortable in possession,” the Norway head coach said in his pre-match press conference. “On our day, we can hurt Brazil. We'll need to be at our absolute best. If not, we won't have a chance.”
Tonight's referee
20:46 , Alan Smith
American Ismail Elfath is in charge of this one, joined by Corey Parker and Kyle Atkins as assistants.
Costa Rica’s Juan Gabriel Calderon and Juan Carlos Mora are the fourth official and reserve assistant, while Nicaragua's Tatiana Guzman is on VAR duty.
One change each
20:39 , Alan Smith
Julian Ryerson returns to right-back for Norway here having missed the Ivory Coast win owing to injury.
Gabriel Martinelli is rewarded with a start following his winner against Japan after Lucas Paqueta’s hamstring injury prompted Carlo Ancelotti to reshuffle Brazil’s line-up. It looks they might now go for a 4-2-3-1 with Casemiro and Bruno Guimaraes holding.
That does mean a front four that could be devastatingly could but leaves concerns around gaps in midfield. Which all points to a fun and open game, right?
FIFA create fresh controversy with Balogun decision
20:32 , Kieran Jackson
Folarin Balogun’s one-match suspension for his red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina has been wiped - meaning the USA forward is free to play against Belgium on Monday.
In an extraordinary development and a huge boost for the co-hosts, United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino will have his star striker available for the World Cup last-16 tie in Seattle after Fifa decided to “suspend” Balogun’s ban.
Balogun red card extraordinarily wiped by Fifa in huge World Cup boost for USA
How 'brand Brazil' lost its lustre
20:22 , Alan Smith
Bring the adverts up on YouTube now and what will strike first is how dated it looks. The production, the concept: it all belongs to a bygone era. From the airport to the dressing room, the Three Rs are very much not in 4k.
For fans of a specific age, Brazil and Nike’s series of promos still stir up reminders of a golden era For the Selecao, however, that last globally successful period of joga bonito is a peak that feels more and more difficult to reascend with each passing tournament.
How ‘brand Brazil’ lost its shine as World Cup’s defining team
Tonight's defining match-up?
20:16 , Alan Smith
Who will be left feeling humble at full-time of this one?
How Fifa’s bewildering World Cup award has distorted reality
20:10 , Alan Smith
It was a picture that left a thousand words unsaid. Had Casemiro, smiling widely with both hands on the trophy, been covered in Jude Bellingham’s honesty cloak, the post-match interview may have seen the Brazil midfielder explain why he did not deserve the gong.
He was neither the first nor last peculiar selection for the ‘Superior Player of the Match’ at this World Cup 2026 but the decision to place him on a pedestal after Monday’s anxious, unconvincing win against Japan was certainly the oddest.
By allowing public vote to decide player of the match awards, Fifa has again leaned into the cult of celebrity with predictable consequences
How Fifa’s bewildering World Cup award has distorted football reality
Brazil eyeing first ever win against Norway
20:02 , Richard Jolly in New Jersey
Brazil have won five World Cups but there is one thing they have never done: beat Norway. If they are going to win a sixth, they need to alter that statistic. Carlo Ancelotti rewards Gabriel Martinelli for his winner against Japan with a start while another Arsenal Gabriel, Magalhaes, renews his rivalry with Erling Haaland, scorer of five goals already at this World Cup. I'm looking forward to seeing the Norway fans row though so far the majority in the MetLife are in the yellow of Brazil.
Norway team news vs Brazil
19:51 , Jack Rathborn
And here is Norway’s line-up!
Norway XI: Nyland; Ryerson, Ajer, Heggem, Wolfe; Nusa, Berge, Berg, Odegaard; Sorloth, Erling Haaland.
Fotballandslaget (@nff_landslag) on X
Brazil team news vs Norway
19:36 , Jack Rathborn
One change for Brazil, Ancelotti opts for Martinelli, instead of Neymar, with Paqueta sitting this one out.
It’ll be fascinating to see if the Arsenal forward plays close to Cunha, or in a wider berth, with Rayan and Vinicius Jr likely to hug the wings.
Brazil XI: Alisson ; Danilo, Marquinho, Gabriel, Santos; Guimaraes, Casemiro; Rayan, Vinicius; Cunha, Martinelli
BRASIL DEFINIDO! 🇧🇷
— brasil (@CBF_Futebol) July 5, 2026
Confira os 11 nomes escalados pelo Mister para enfrentar a Noruega neste domingo (5), às 17h (Brasília), pelas oitavas de final da Copa do Mundo FIFA 2026.
📺 TV Globo / GE TV / Cazé TV / SBT / NSports#BateNoPeito
ISSO É BRASIL!! pic.twitter.com/aSYtaWccHi
Norway must not play the occasion, says Solbakken
19:30 , Will Castle
Norway coach Stale Solbakken has urged his players not to get carried away with the occasion of a World Cup knockouts clash with Brazil in the hope of causing an upset.
"We need to play the match, not the circumstances,” said Solbakken. “We need to make sure that we don't play according to the occasion, but that we simply play the game.”
He added: "I don't think they are big, big, big favourites, which they maybe had been some years ago ... we have had a very good run for a very long time, and we have great confidence and we have a good style of play with the ball as well, and I think that helps us.
"I think it's difficult to put a precise percent (on our chances), if it's 60-40, or 70-30 or whatever - the important thing is that we can hurt Brazil on our day, but we still need to be our very, very best, otherwise we have no chance. But if we are on our very, very best, then we have a chance."
Ancelotti: No such thing as 'anti-Haaland' plan
19:15 , Will Castle
Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti says he is not about to set up an “anti Erling Haaland plan” when his side look to shackle the free-scoring Norwegian frontman tonight.
“I don’t think that there is such a thing as an ‘anti-Haaland’ plan,” Ancelotti said at a press conference. “I don’t need to tell my players how to defend, they have faced each other a few times.
“Our team is in an optimal condition. However, we need to continue improving.
“Everyone knows how he (Haaland) works. I have nothing to explain to my defenders how to play against him.
“They have obviously played against him several times, so we are only focused on being well prepared for the match, understanding the basic characteristics of the opponent and we know that they are very dangerous offensively.”
Haaland vs Vinicius: The battle for the golden boot
19:00 , Will Castle
The race for the golden boot at the World Cup is hurtling towards an epic contest during the knockout stage and while Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi are going tit for tat at the top of the standings, Erling Haaland and Vinicius Jr are very much in the conversation.
Tonight could be pivotal in either man’s pursuit of that individual accolade, with a high-scoring performance sure to propel them into that leading pack.
Here’s how the standings currently look:
1. Kylian Mbappe (France), 7 goals, (2 assists)
2. Lionel Messi (Argentina), 7 goals
= 3. Erling Haaland (Norway), 5 goals
= 3. Harry Kane (England), 5 goals
5. Ousmane Dembele (France), 4 goals (2 assists)
= 6. Vinicius Jr (Brazil), 4 goals (1 assist)
= 6. Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain), 4 goals (1 assist)
= 6. Ismaila Sarr (Senegal), 4 goals (1 assist)
World Cup 2026 power rankings
18:45 , Will Castle
The 2026 World Cup is down to its last 16 teams after an action packed first knockout round saw some big hitters sent home.
How do Brazil and Norway stack up against the rest? Here’s where every team in the last-16 stands in The Independent’s World Cup 2026 power rankings:
World Cup 2026 power rankings: France the team to beat heading into last 16
Who will the winner face next?
18:30 , Will Castle
England will keeping a close eye on the action tonight.
That’s because the winners will meet either the Three Lions or Mexico in a last-eight tie slated for Saturday 11 July in Miami at 10pm BST.
Thomas Tuchel’s side will of course need to beat the co-hosts at altitude in Mexico City later on to seal their place quarter-finals.
Predicted line-ups
18:15 , Will Castle
Brazil XI: Alisson; Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel, Santos; Bruno Guimaraes, Casemiro, Fabinho; Rayan, Cunha, Vinicius Jr.
Norway XI: Nyland; Pedersen, Ajer, Heggem, Moller Wolfe; Odegaard, Berge, Berg; Sorloth, Haaland, Nusa.
Early team news
18:10 , Will Castle
Lucas Paqueta is set to miss out for Brazil having hurt a hamstring during the first half against Japan on Monday, meaning Carlo Ancelotti could opt to include young Endrick from the start unless he hands the role to old hand Fabinho. Raphinha is recovering from his hamstring issue sustained during the group stage but is unlikely to feature.
Staale Solbakken has no fresh injury concerns to contend with for Norway.
Is Brazil vs Norway on TV?
18:05 , Will Castle
Brazil vs Norway is due to kick off at 9pm BST on Sunday 5 July at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
How can I watch it?
Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on ITV1, with coverage on the channel from 8.15pm BST. A live stream will be available via ITVX.
Brazil vs Norway LIVE!
18:00 , Will Castle
Carlo Ancelotti and Brazil face their sternest test yet at World Cup 2026 when meeting Norway tonight.
Having flattered to deceive before Gabriel Martinelli’s added time winner against Japan on Monday, the pressure is on for the Selecao to hit a higher level if they are to continue their pursuit of a sixth title.
The mood in Norway’s camp could hardly be different, however. Having secured a first ever knockout win versus Ivory Coast, the primary objective has been ticked off and the pressure is not quite as significant as their opponent’s.
This tie also presents both Erling Haaland and Vinicius Jr with another chance to dominate the spotlight with both firmly in the running for the golden boot.
Norway team news coming up
15:02 , Will Castle
We should be bringing you the confirmed line-ups from Norway shortly, too.
That heavyweight battle between Erling Haaland and Gabriel Magalhaes promises to be one for the ages.
Good evening
14:39 , Will Castle
Hello there and welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of Brazil vs Norway in the World Cup last-16.
We’ll bring you all the latest team news, build-up and match action from New Jersey, right here!
