Denmark takes on Norway in Oslo tonight, with analysts describing the upcoming stretch of matches as critical for Riemer’s future at the helm.
Brian Riemer might very well be out of a job when the national team break ends in three weeks. Such is the pressure on the Danish national team coach, who is under scrutiny after a failed World Cup qualifying campaign, where everyone expected Denmark to win their group easily against Greece, Belarus, and Scotland.
Following a period of transition and heavy public debate regarding squad consistency and performances, a positive result away from home is vital to restore momentum. Riemer has had to navigate late squad adjustments with injuries to Andreas Christensen, Alexander Bah and Kasper Dolberg ahead of the tactical battle in Norway, though he insists his team possesses the quality to secure three points.
The road to the European Championship final tournament in less than two years is a long one, offering an opportunity for many new faces to establish themselves in the national team.
This time around, Thomas Jorgensen (Toulouse), Andreas Jungdal (KVC Westerlo), Mads Bidstrup (Lyon), and Viktor Bak (FC Midtjylland) are in line for a potential debut.
This follows the loss of a combined 670 international caps with the departures of Kasper Schmeichel, Simon Kjaer, Christian Norgaard, Thomas Delaney, and Jannik Vestergaard—all of whom retired after Euro 2024—while Yussuf Poulsen has been left out of the squad, and Christian Eriksen’s footballing future remains unresolved following his collapse in Odense earlier this year.
Powered by Erling Haaland's goals, Norway reached the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals over the summer, and Stale Solbakken's team are emerging as a genuine European force which could be a huge challenge for the Danes, who are currently undergoing a massive generational shift.
Haaland has scored seven goals from his first seven games of the season at Manchester City, and the Danes face a major challenge to keep him quiet. Haaland is not the only Norway star in form, with captain Martin Odegaard shining at the start of the 2026/27 campaign at Arsenal, and both players will start in Oslo.
However, Atletico Madrid forward Alexander Sorloth has not been included in the squad, as he continues to work on his fitness back in the Spanish capital.
Mads Hermansen is on course to replace Kasper Schmeichel as Denmark's No.1 following his international retirement.
For both teams, this is the first of four matches in just 11 days. On Sunday, Norway will play at home against Portugal, while Denmark hosts Wales. Denmark won the most recent meeting with Norway: 3–1 in a friendly match in 2024. In fact, the Danes have not lost to the Norwegians since 1998.
Denmark and Norway will go head to head tonight at the Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo at 20.45 CET.
