Norway will play Israel, social media claims false


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Recent social media posts claiming Norway’s refusal to participate against Israel in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers have been proven inaccurate. These false allegations included suggestions that Norway was pushing for Israel’s removal from the competition.

The Norwegian Football Federation has directly addressed these rumors, confirming to Full Fact that their participation plans remain unchanged. The federation’s stance was further clarified through statements from their president, Lisa Klaveness.

“Israel is currently part of UEFA’s competitions. We are following the situation closely, and follow the policies set by FIFA, UEFA and the Norwegian authorities. This means our national team will play against Israel—in March away on a neutral pitch, and in October at home at Ullevaal Stadium. Everyone now has a clear responsibility to protect and respect the football matches and the players on both teams,” Klaveness explained to the outlet.

The misunderstanding may have stemmed from Klaveness’s additional comments, reported by AAP Fact Check, where she expressed: “[y]esterday we drew Israel in the World Cup qualifiers. It is difficult for us, even beyond the purely sporting aspect.”