Norway vs Finland facts

Matchday 2 of UEFA Women's EURO 2025 begins in Sion as two-time champions Norway take on Finland in Group A with both sides having been victorious in their opening fixtures.

Norway came from behind to defeat hosts Switzerland 2-1 while Finland recorded a 1-0 win over Iceland in the first game of the tournament.

Norway will be through to the quarter-finals (as group winners) if they beat Finland and Iceland do not beat Switzerland in Group A's other Matchday 2 game.

Finland will be through to the quarter-finals (as group winners) if they beat Norway and Switzerland do not beat Iceland.

Previous meetings

This is the first finals meeting between the neighbours although they have met 14 times in qualifying, most recently last year with Norway winning 4-0 in Oslo before a 1-1 draw in Turku in the most recent contest between the nations.

Finland have won just one of those 14 fixtures – a 2-0 victory in Nesbyen during qualifying for the 1989 tournament. Norway have claimed nine wins with four draws.

That 2-0 win for Finland in May 1988 is the last time they defeated Norway, who have won 20 of the teams' 24 meetings since then (D4).

Form guide

Norway

After going behind in the first half, Ada Hegerberg's 50th international goal (54) levelled for Norway in their Group A opener against Switzerland, before a Julia Stierli own goal (58) put them in front in Basel. Hegerberg later fired a penalty wide, but the two-time winners held on for victory.

Norway lost only one of their qualifying games in Group A1 (W1 D4) but finished third behind Italy and Netherlands. As a result they had to navigate their way through the play-offs, where they recorded a 14-0 aggregate win against Albania (5-0 a, 9-0 h) before a 7-0 aggregate defeat of Northern Ireland (4-0 a, 3-0 h) sealed their finals place.

Frida Maanum struck seven times during qualifying, more than any of her team-mates.

Winners in both 1987 – as hosts – and 1993, Norway have also finished as Women's EURO runner-up on a further four occasions, most recently in 2013.

Ever-presents in the tournaments since their first title in 1987, Norway have reached the semi-finals or better in nine of their previous 12 participations, although they were eliminated in the group stage in both 2017 and 2022.

Norway's 0-8 loss to England in the 2022 group stage is the biggest finals defeat in Women's EURO history, although a 5-3 win against Italy in the 2005 group stage is the joint highest-scoring game.

World champions in 1995 when they beat Germany 2-0 in the final, Norway lost 1-3 to Japan in the round of 16 of the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup.

Norway were gold medallists in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, a golden goal from Dagny Mellgren sealing a 3-2 win against the United States in the final.

Norway are led by former Wales coach Gemma Grainger, who has been in post since early 2024.

Finland

Finland began Women's EURO 2025 with their first finals victory since 2009, Player of the Match Katarina Kosola's 70th-minute strike enough to defeat Iceland in Thun.

In qualifying a team lead by Marko Saloranta finished bottom of Group A1 behind Italy, Netherlands and Norway, winning just one of their six games, but advanced to the play-offs as one of the seeded nations.

Paired with Montenegro in round 1, they won 6-0 on aggregate (1-0 a, 5-0 h) before a 2-0 aggregate victory over Scotland (0-0 a, 2-0 h) earned their place in a fifth Women's EURO tournament.

Nea Lehtola, Ema Koivisto, Jutta Rantala and Linda Sällström all scored two goals apiece during qualifying.

Finland have twice progressed beyond their group; they reached the semi-finals on debut in 2005, where they lost to champions Germany, and as hosts were beaten by runners-up England in the quarter-finals four years later.

The Nordic nation have only missed out in one of the last six Women's EURO tournaments, although they lost all three group games at the most recent edition in 2022.

Key facts

• Norway are aiming to win successive Women's EURO matches for the first time since 2013.

• Gresshoppene have never won their opening two Women's EURO group games.

• Maren Mjelde has started 18 successive Women's EURO matches for Norway, since her finals debut on Matchday 1 of the 2009 edition.

• Finland have lost only one of their last 11 competitive matches (W7 D3), keeping nine clean sheets in those 11 fixtures.

• They are aiming to win successive Women’s EURO matches for only the second time, having beaten Denmark (1-0) and Netherlands (2-1) in 2009.