Norway and Sweden to renew Scandinavian rivalry to warm up for the FIFA World Cup

Norway will face neighbours Sweden in Oslo on June 1st in what shapes up to be a blockbuster warm-up fixture, just 15 days before their World Cup opener in Boston.

For Sweden, the match in Oslo is still conditional. Later this month, Graham Potter's side enter a play-off tournament that will decide whether they make it to the United States. They face Ukraine in the semi-final on neutral ground, and should they come through, they will then host either Poland or Albania in the final. Norwegian head coach Ståle Solbakken is confident his counterpart can get the job done.

"I am sure that Graham Potter will gain momentum in Sweden again," said Solbakken. "They have a fair chance to succeed in March, and thus come to Oslo in June ready for the World Cup and with confidence."

The Norwegian coach is under no illusions about what a fixture like this means, either. "There is always something extra at stake when you play against neighbours — it intensifies everything on the pitch and in the stands. A match like this will be a perfect preparation for the World Cup."

The feeling is mutual on the Swedish side. Stefan Pettersson, the administrative head of the Swedish national team, welcomed the fixture warmly. "We're looking forward to travelling to Oslo and playing against Norway. It'll be a classic Nordic meeting with great energy," he said, adding: "Norway is ready for the World Cup, and when we meet in June, we hope that we are too."

The day after the match, Norway will fly to the United States, where further preparations await — including a warm-up game against a top-ranked opponent, with an additional closed-doors fixture also being lined up.

Should Sweden navigate the play-offs, they would open their World Cup campaign against Tunisia in Monterrey, Mexico. Norway, meanwhile, will kick off their tournament on June 16th in Boston against the winner of the FIFA Playoff mini-tournament involving Bolivia, Suriname and Iraq.