USA 2026: Norway return to the men's World Cup

27 years after their last World Cup, Norway’s men have finally qualified for another one. With Erling Haaland, who scored 16 goals in eight qualifying matches, and a team that ran in 37 goals during the campaign, should the rest of the world be worried?Former Norway goalkeeper Erik Thorstvedt and journalist Lars Sivertsen join Mani Djazmi to discuss the team’s strengths and weaknesses.Photo: Staale Solbakken, Head Coach of Norway, is lifted into the air by players of Norway as they celebrate victory following the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier match between Italy and Norway at San Siro Stadium on November 16, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Credit: Getty Images)

The club versus country row often causes friction, but midfielder Soren Lerby once found a way to satisfy both.He played for Denmark and Bayern Munich on the same day. In different countries.On the afternoon of 13 November 1984 - exactly 40 years ago - Lerby lined up for his national team in Dublin for their final qualifier for the 1986 World Cup.Bayern, meanwhile, had a last-16 German Cup match at Bochum later that evening.Photo: Soren Lerby of Denmark in may 1986 (Credit: VI Images via Getty Images)

Bayern Munich have yet to lose this season in the Bundesliga and the Champions League. The Bavarian club did show signs of vulnerability when they drew 2-2 draw at Union Berlin, which ended their 16-game winning streak from the start of the campaign. The result meant Bayern fell one game short of matching its Bundesliga-record 10-game winning start to the league from 2015. So are they the best team in Europe? Away from Germany, Dutch giants Ajax have sacked manager John Heitinga less than six months after he joined the club from Liverpool. Heitinga have won just five of his 11 Eredivisie matches in charge and the club have lost all four of their Champions League matches this season, including a 3-0 home defeat to Galatasaray on Wednesday. What is going wrong at Ajax.John Bennett is joined by German football writer Constantin Eckner, Dutch football reporter Arthur Renard, the BBC's Mike McCarthy and World Football's Mani Djazmi. (Image: Bayern Munich celebrating, Credit: Getty Images)

Mjallby, a team from a tiny fishing village, are about to become champions of Sweden for the first time.It’s one of the biggest shocks in recent European football history, and defender Tom Pettersson has been telling World Football’s Mani Djazmi how it’s happened.Image: Mjallby's Tom Pettersson against Djurgarden's Haris Radetinac during an Allsvenskan match between Djurgardens IF and Mjallby AIF at Tele2 Arena on May 21, 2023 in Stockholm, Sweden. (Photo by Michael Campanella/Getty Images)

The President of the Norwegian Football Federation, Lise Klaveness, tells Mani Djazmi why they have chosen a home game against Israel to donate profits from ticket sales to a charity working in Gaza.Image: Norwegian Football Federation president Lise Klaveness looks on prior to the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Round of 16 match between Japan and Norway at Wellington Regional Stadium on August 05, 2023 in Wellington, New Zealand. (Photo by Maja Hitij - FIFA via Getty Images)

It’s Champions League romance as Kazakhstan’s Kairat Almaty face the mighty Real Madrid.Kairat player Damir Kasabulat tells Mani Djazmi what it means just to be in the competition, the reaction when the players discovered that their first home game would be against Real Madrid, and who he might take to London when they play Arsenal.Image: Geovany Quenda of Sporting CP with Damir Kassabulat and Luis Mata of FC Kairat Almaty in action during the UEFA Champions League 2025/26 League Phase MD1 match between Sporting Clube de Portugal and FC Kairat Almaty at Estadio Jose Alvalade. (Photo by David Martins/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Not many football players will be like Christian Burgess. The English defender has a first-class honours degree in history and is making history on the pitch for Belgian champions Union Saint-Gilloise.He’s captaining the side as they make their Champions League debut this season and Burgess tells World Football’s Mani Djazmi about his path from university to now Champions League football.He shares his disbelief at making his debut in Europe’s premier club competition just a month before his 34th birthday.Burgess shares his own personal view of the situation facing refugees trying to cross the English channel. There are many other opinions and we aim to reflect them all on the BBC World Service and across the BBC.Image: Christian Burgess of Union Saint-Gilloise celebrates after the team's victory during the UEFA Europa League 2023/24 match between R. Union Saint-Gilloise and Liverpool FC at Stade Joseph Marien on December 14, 2023 in Brussels, Belgium. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

Every season teams across Europe compete for a place in the Uefa Champions League, but who are the clubs from Cyprus, Norway, Belgium and even a team north of the Arctic Circle making their debuts in Europe’s top-tier club competition?Pafos FC of Cyprus, Norway's Bodo/Glimt, Kairat Almaty of Kazakhstan and Belgium’s Union Saint-Gilloise all advanced through the qualifying rounds to make history by reaching the competition’s league phase for the first time.Maz Farookhi is joined by football reporter George Addo to get the views from each of the four sides making their debuts.Image: Jaja (C) of Pafos celebrates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Champions League Play-offs Round Second Leg match between Pafos and Crvena Zvezda at Limassol Stadium on August 26, 2025 in Limassol, Cyprus. (Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images)

The Fluminense goalkeeper, Fabio, is the new holder of the world record for the number of professional appearances. His former teammate at Cruzeiro, Fabiano, tells Mani Djazmi about Fabio’s dedication and describes him as an inspiration for any player who wants to keep going for as long as possible.We also hear from Fluminense fan Bruno Stefano who was at Fabio’s historic 1,391st appearance.Photo: Fabio of Fluminese during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 semi-final match between Fluminense FC and Chelsea FC at MetLife Stadium on July 8, 2025 in East Rutherford, United States. (Credit: AMA/Getty Images)

The future of England and Crystal Palace forward Eberechi Eze has been one of the major talking points of the current transfer window.It had been thought he would join Tottenham, with a deal agreed between the clubs until their biggest rivals in North London, Arsenal, also reached an agreement with Palace.Eze started his youth career with Arsenal, and has been one of Palace’s key players and helped them to win the FA Cup last season.John Bennett is joined by former Tottenham defender Stephen Kelly and Crystal Palace forward Kwesi Appiah as they give their perspectives.PHOTO CREDIT: Eberechi Eze of Crystal Palace celebrates scoring his sides goal which is later disallowed following a VAR review during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge on August 17, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)