OSLO, Norway — The final whistle at Ullevaal Stadion on Monday night felt like more than the end of a football match.

It felt like the closing of one chapter and the beginning of another.

Norway defeated Sweden 3–1 in its final match on home soil before departing for the United States and the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

For the thousands of supporters gathered inside Ullevaal Stadion, the evening served as a send-off for a team carrying the hopes of a nation back to football’s biggest stage for the first time since 1998.

Norway delivered an encouraging performance.

Jørgen Strand Larsen scored twice while Antonio Nusa added another goal as Ståle Solbakken’s side surged into a commanding first-half lead. Sweden pulled one goal back through Alexander Isak after the break, but Norway remained largely in control throughout the evening.

Perhaps the most significant takeaway was who did not play.

Neither Erling Haaland nor Martin Ødegaard featured in the match, yet Norway still looked organized, confident and dangerous. The performance highlighted the depth that Solbakken has worked to develop around his star players ahead of the tournament.

According to post-match reporting from Reuters, players and staff expressed confidence in the team’s preparations and readiness for the challenges ahead.

That confidence is understandable.

Over the past year, Norway has developed into a balanced side capable of relying on more than individual brilliance. While Haaland and Ødegaard remain central figures, Monday’s victory demonstrated that the squad possesses quality throughout the roster.

Now the focus shifts across the Atlantic.

Norway is scheduled to travel to the United States this week, where preparations will continue before the World Cup begins. A final warm-up match against Morocco awaits before attention turns fully toward the tournament.

Then comes the moment Norwegian football has waited nearly three decades to experience.

Norway opens its World Cup campaign on June 16 against Iraq at Boston Stadium in Boston, Massachusetts. Group-stage matches against Senegal and France will follow as Norway attempts to advance from one of the tournament’s most intriguing groups.

The challenges ahead will be greater than those faced in Oslo.

The pressure will be greater.

The expectations will be greater.

But so too is the belief.

For 28 years, Norwegian supporters watched the World Cup from afar.

Generations grew up without seeing their country compete on football’s biggest stage.

Now that wait is over.

The celebrations in Oslo have ended.

The journey to America has begun.

And for the first time in a generation, Norway arrives at a World Cup carrying more than hope.

It arrives carrying belief.

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