Boston, June 26: All eyes will be on two of the most exciting superstars of this generation, Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe, when they clash against each other for the first time in FIFA World Cup history as Mbappe's France take on Haaland's Norway at Boston Stadium on Saturday (IST).
France and Norway made light work of Senegal and Iraq, with the two centre-forwards both scoring twice in each game. The result saw both sides qualify for the Round of 32, giving the match the feel of a showdown between the two irrepressible strikers.
Haaland and Mbappe have faced each other before at club level, but this will be their first meeting on the international stage. The two players have followed quite different paths to get where they are. Haaland, 25, is relishing his first World Cup like a child going to his first theme park.
Mbappe, however, feels right at home in the competition, as this is his third World Cup at the age of 27. Mbappe has an incredible strike rate of 16 goals in 16 World Cup matches, with only Lionel Messi ahead of him on the all-time top scorers' list.
Contrasting World Cup Journeys
Mbappe won the World Cup in 2018 and was a runner-up in 2022, while he reached the knockout stages of the 2020 and 2024 editions of the UEFA European Championship. Haaland, however, is playing in his first major tournament. The Norwegian does possess one major honour that Mbappe still lacks, though, having lifted the UEFA Champions League with Manchester City in 2023.
How To Watch In India
Live streaming and live telecast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 football matches will be available on the Zee5 platform and app in India. A subscription will be required.
Live telecast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 will be available on the Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2, and Unite8 Sports 2 HD TV channels in India.
Key Details
Date and kick-off time: Saturday, June 27, 12.30 am IST
Venue: Boston Stadium, Boston
Referee: Michael Oliver
Squads
France
Goalkeepers: Mike Maignan, Robin Risser, Brice Samba
Defenders: Lucas Digne, Malo Gusto, Lucas Hernandez, Theo Hernandez, Ibrahima Konaté, Jules Kounde, Maxence Lacroix, William Saliba, Dayot Upamecano
Midfielders: N'Golo Kanté, Manu Koné, Adrien Rabiot, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Warren Zaire-Emery
Forwards: Maghnes Akliouche, Bradley Barcola, Rayan Cherki, Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Jean-Philippe Mateta, Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise, Marcus Thuram
Also Watch:
Norway
Goalkeepers: Orjan Haskjold Nyland, Egil Selvik, Sander Tangvik
Defenders: Kristoffer Vassbakk Ajer, Fredrik Bjorkan, Henrik Falchener, Sondre Langas, Torbjorn Heggem, Marcus Holmgren Pedersen, Julian Ryerson, David Møller Wolfe, Leo Ostigard
Midfielders: Thelonious Aasgaard, Fredrik Aursnes, Patrick Berg, Sander Berge, Oscar Bobb, Jens Petter Hauge, Antonio Nusa, Andreas Schjelderup, Morten Thorsby, Kristian Thorstvedt, Martin Odegaard
Forwards: Erling Haaland, Jorgen Strand Larsen, Alexander Sorloth
(Disclaimer: Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)
