Iraq vs Norway Prediction 6/16/2026 Group I Picks

In this article we will formulate a Iraq vs Norway prediction for this World Cup game on Tuesday, June 16th at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Let’s take a look at the prediction for this World Cup matchup.

Iraq Betting Preview

Iraq comes into the World Cup ranked 57th in the latest official FIFA rankings and they are coming off of a 2-0 loss to Venezuela in their last match. In that loss, Iraq allowed a goal in the 17th minute and another in the 46th minute in the loss. Iraq recorded 10 total shots, five shots on target, and had 42% of the possession. Iraq has played two other friendlies this year: a 1-1 draw with Spain and a 1-0 win over Andorra. 

Iraq has qualified for one other World Cup, which came in 1986, where they failed to advance out of the Group Stage. In 1986, Iraq lost 1-0 to Paraguay, lost 2-1 to Belgium, and lost 1-0 to Mexico in the Group Stage. In qualification, Iraq defeated Bolivia by a score of 2-1 to qualify. 

Norway Betting Preview

Norway comes into the World Cup ranked 31st in the latest official FIFA rankings and they are coming off of a 1-1 draw with Morocco in their last match. In that draw, Norway allowed a goal in the eighth minute, but they were able to tie the game in the 75th minute. Norway recorded nine total shots, two shots on target, and had 54% of the possession. Norway has played three other friendlies this year: a 3-1 win over Sweden, a 0-0 draw with Switzerland, and a 2-1 loss to Netherlands. 

Norway has qualified for three other World Cups, which came in 1938, 1994, and 1998. Their best finish was the Round of 16 in 1938 and 1998. In 1998, Norway drew with Morocco 2-2, drew with Scotland 1-1, and defeated Brazil 2-1 in the Group Stage, before losing to Italy 1-0. In qualification, Norway finished first in their group with 24 points, which was ahead of Italy, Israel, Estonia, and Moldova. 

Iraq vs Norway Prediction 

Both of these teams come into this tournament with limited appearances in the World Cup, so they both have a huge opportunity to get the win. Norway is ranked much higher than Iraq and they are 2-1-2 in their last five. Iraq is coming off of a bad loss to Venezuela, but they also drew with Spain last week. I am not sure what to expect from either side in this one, but I do think it will be lower scoring, so I like the under 2.5 at plus money.

David Racey's Pick: Under 2.5