Ivory Coast vs Norway Predictions

• Ivory Coast have scored in each of their last 12 matches
• Norway were the top European scorers in qualifying, netting 37 goals
• The Vikings have found the back of the net in 21 of their last 22 games

Knockout opportunity awaits

Ivory Coast and Norway are not used to making it through to the knockout stages of World Cups, but their round of 32 clash at Dallas Stadium on Tuesday could prove an entertaining affair.

The Elephants have advanced to the knockout stage for the first time in their history after finishing second in Group E, recording wins against Ecuador and Curacao either side of a narrow and slightly unfortunate defeat to four-time champions Germany.

Norway, meanwhile, are back at the World Cup for the first time in 28 years and after sealing their progress with a game to spare following wins over Iraq and Senegal, they rotated heavily for their final group game against France, which ended in a 4-1 defeat.

Attacking flair to come to the fore

Knockout ties at World Cups can, by and large, be cagey affairs, but the attacking quality on show in both of these squads suggests this match might buck that trend.

Ivory Coast scored in all three of their group fixtures and have now netted in 12 matches on the spin, a run that stretches back to November.

Nicolas Pepe (twice) and Amad Diallo have both scored at this World Cup, while teenage winger Yan Diomande has added to his growing reputation.

What Ivory Coast perhaps don’t have is a world-class centre forward, something Norway possess in Erling Haaland, who has scored four goals in his two appearances at this World Cup.

Norway have netted in 21 of their last 22 games and were the top European scorers in qualifying, registering an eye-watering 37 goals in eight matches.

Could Pepe upstage Haaland?

Villarreal winger Pepe has enjoyed an international renaissance this summer, as after being left out of the Ivory Coast squad altogether for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, he has been welcomed back into the fold by head coach Emerse Fae and celebrated by scoring a brace in the 2-0 win over Curacao to seal the Elephants’ passage through to the knockout stages.

While Norway hotshot Haaland is a more obvious choice to get on the scoresheet, there is perhaps better value in siding with Pepe, who also finished the club season strongly, registering eight goal involvements in his final six La Liga outings of 2025-26.

Only captain Franck Kessie has scored more international goals in the current Ivory Coast squad than Pepe, who is up to 14 and can add to that tally at the expense of Norway.