Ivory Coast vs Norway: Supercomputer Predicts 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 Tie
- Opta’s supercomputer has predicted the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 match between Ivory Coast and Norway
- Ivory Coast finished second in Group E behind Germany, while Norway finished second behind France in Group I
- The Africans are in the knockout stage for the first time, while the Europeans have been there once in France 1998
The Elephants of Ivory Coast will take on Norway in their first-ever World Cup knockout stage match at the 2026 edition in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The Round of 32 encounter will take place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas on June 30, 2026 at 6 pm Nigerian time as both teams are out to prove a point.
Source: Getty Images
Ivory Coast beat Ecuador and Curaçao, but lost to Germany to finish second in Group E, while Norway beat Iraq and Senegal to finish behind France in Group I.
Supercomputer predicts Ivory Coast vs Norway
According to The Analyst, Opta’s supercomputer has predicted the result of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 clash between Ivory Coast and Norway.
The supercomputer ran 25,000 pre-game simulations, which gives Norway a massive 56.1% chance of winning the match in 90 minutes, and Ivory Coast a 21.6% chance, and a draw at 22.3%.
Norway have the chance of reaching the Round of 16, their best outing at the World Cup in 1998, with a 68.1% chance, and Ivory Coast with a 31.9% chance.
Two knockout stage games have reached the knockout stage, with Paraguay beating Germany and Morocco beating the Netherlands, suggesting doom for Norway if it goes to penalties.
Both sides have never met before either in a friendly or competitive match, but Norway faced an African side, Senegal, in the group stage, which they won 3-2, while Ivory Coast defeated France heading into the tournament.
Emerse Fae ready for Norway challenge
Ivorian head coach Emerse Fae praised Norway as a ruthless attacking side, but believes that his side have their strengths and will be ready for the match.
“They are a good team, an organised team, great individual players but they play well together, are very intensive, impactful, and they're very pragmatic. They don't need five or six attempts to score; they're clinical in front of goal,” he told FIFA.
Source: Getty Images
“We do have our strengths, we know how to play, and we will be up to the challenge on the physical side, and we will try to control the game and impose our pace.”
Norwegian boss Stale Solbakken believes that it would be a tight match and the winner will need luck on their side.
“I think it will be an even, tight game that can go either way. The match winner will have a little bit of luck on their side. It will be that close,” Solbakken added.
CAF sends message to Ivory Coast
Legit.ng previously reported that CAF sent a message to Ivory Coast after the Elephants reached their first FIFA World Cup knockout stage.
The Emerse Fae-led side were one of the nine African sides that reached the Round of 32, a strong display by the continent in the first round.
Source: Legit.ng
