Norway vs Sweden 1 June 2026 Prediction

The teams will meet in a Scandinavian derby as part of their World Cup preparations. Norway has not been especially convincing in unofficial matches, but the regional rivalry should add extra motivation. The same applies to Sweden, which will be looking to end a six-game winless run in head-to-head meetings.

With Haaland, but Without Ødegaard

Ståle Solbakken’s spring-summer preparation schedule consists of opponents that have also qualified for the World Cup. In March, Norway played two unconvincing friendlies against the Netherlands (1-2) and Switzerland (0-0), producing only 1.34 xG combined. In qualifying, by contrast, the team was far more clinical, averaging 4.62 goals from 2.54 expected goals. It is also worth noting that Norway had to face the Dutch without its main star, Erling Haaland. This time, the striker is available.

Norway has used regional opponents as friendly opposition before. Almost two years ago, it lost away to Denmark (1-3), and last fall it beat Finland at home in a match that was more convincing in terms of performance than scoreline (1-0). In both cases, the starting lineup was very close to full strength.

There are no major surprises in Norway’s squad, but the team will be without its captain and playmaker Martin Ødegaard, who recently featured in the Champions League final. Even so, the Lions recently beat Israel (5-0), Estonia (4-1), and Italy (4-1) in World Cup qualifying without him.

A Major Blow to Sweden’s Attacking Potential

Sweden had a poor World Cup qualifying campaign, failing to win a single match in a group where it was considered one of the favorites. However, thanks to the Nations League and the timely appointment of Graham Potter as manager, the team still ended up among the 48 World Cup participants. In the playoffs, the Blue and Yellow beat Ukraine (3-1) and Poland (3-2) with a counterattacking approach. Viktor Gyökeres became the national hero, but he will also miss this match because of the Champions League.

Sweden should feel almost at home in Oslo, as the two countries share a border. Before Potter’s arrival, Sweden won only three of its previous 12 away matches in all competitions. Its home form is not as dominant as it may seem either. Sweden won 10 of its last 14 home games, but only three opponents were comparable in level: Poland, Slovakia (2-1), and Algeria (4-3). During that same stretch, Sweden lost to other solid teams: Serbia (0-3), Switzerland (0-2), and Kosovo (0-2).

There are no major squad issues overall, but Gyökeres’ absence stands out because his impact is difficult to overstate. Sweden still has another expensive Premier League forward in Alexander Isak, but injuries disrupted much of his season. Emil Krafth and Dejan Kulusevski were not called up due to fitness issues, and both could have been contenders for the starting lineup. Gabriel Gudmundsson has also not recovered from injury, further limiting the options at wing-back: Svensson is the clear choice on one flank, but there is no equally obvious option on the other side.

Norway vs Sweden Predicted Lineup

Norway (4-3-3): Nyland – Ryerson, Ajer, Heggem, Møller Wolfe – Aursnes, Berge, Thorstvedt – Sørloth, Haaland, Nusa

Will not play: Hanche-Olsen, Helland, Myhre, Ødegaard (all out of the squad), Østigård (doubtful)

Manager: Ståle Solbakken

Sweden (3-4-2-1): Nordfeldt – Starfelt, Lagerbielke, Hien – Bernhardsson, Carlström, Ayari, Svensson – Nygren, Elanga – Isak

Will not play: Krafth, Gudmundsson, Kulusevski (all injured), H. Johansson, H. Larsson, Khalili, Nanasi, Gyökeres (all out of the squad)

Manager: Graham Potter

Norway vs Sweden Prediction: Norway to Win at 1.90

• Main pick: The hosts are deserved favorites. Solbakken’s team dominated its qualifying campaign, while Sweden looked poor before the playoffs. Things improved under Potter, but that may have been partly due to a new-manager bounce. In addition, Gyökeres was the player who carried Sweden to the World Cup, and he will not be available here. That is a bigger loss than Ødegaard’s absence, as Norway has already adapted to playing without him. Our pick is Norway to win at 1.90. For a correct score option, 2-1 at 8.50 is worth a look. Norway has not scored more than two goals in its last five friendlies.
• Goals prediction: It is difficult to doubt Norway’s chances of scoring. Yes, the team failed to break down Switzerland, but before that it had a 16-match scoring streak and scored only once in just five of those games. At the same time, Norway conceded in five of its last eight friendlies, both against weaker New Zealand (1-1) and stronger Denmark (1-3) and the Netherlands (1-2). Sweden, meanwhile, scored in all three matches against comparable opponents under Potter. Both teams to score — yes is priced at 1.73.