The 2026 FIFA World Cup is just a few weeks away now, and many countries are starting to put their final team rosters in place. It\u2019s not unusual for federations to tap celebrities for special roster announcements<\/a> ahead of the World Cup or Olympics, but having a sitting monarch announce the team is extra special.<\/p>\n Norway\u2019s King Harald announced<\/a> the country\u2019s 26-player World Cup squad<\/a> on Thursday. This summer will be the nation\u2019s first World Cup appearance since 1998<\/a>. Norway, sitting at No. 31 in the global FIFA rankings<\/a>, will open its group stage campaign<\/a> against Iraq on June 16 in Boston, followed by a match against Senegal on June 22 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, before closing the group stage against France on June 26 in Boston.<\/p>\n The squad\u2019s undeniable marquee name is Manchester City striker Erling Haaland. The 25-year-old has won the Premier League, the UEFA Champions League, England\u2019s FA Cup, and the FIFA Best Men\u2019s Player award<\/a>, and has broken multiple scoring records at club level, making him one of the most recognizable players in international soccer.<\/p>\n Haaland during a Norway v. Israel friendly in October.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n While King Harald wished the team luck with his announcement, it is not known whether any members of the Norwegian royal family plan to attend matches in the United States. The question of royal attendance at the tournament has drawn attention this week after King Willem-Alexander and Queen M\u00e1xima of the Netherlands<\/a> confirmed that they will travel to the United States to attend the Oranje\u2019s opening match against Sweden in Houston on June 20, as well as Cura\u00e7ao\u2019s opener against Ecuador in Kansas City that same day. Prince William, who serves as Patron of the England Football Association<\/a>, has not confirmed his attendance but is widely expected to travel to the U.S. to watch England compete.<\/p>\n Several nations are still finalizing their rosters. The United States Men\u2019s National Team is scheduled to announce its squad on May 26 at a media event in New York.<\/p>\n Rachel King (she\/her) is a news writer at\u00a0Town & Country<\/em>. Before joining\u00a0T&C<\/em>, she spent nearly a decade as an editor at\u00a0Fortune<\/em>. Her work covering travel and lifestyle has appeared in\u00a0Forbes<\/em>,\u00a0Observer<\/em>,\u00a0Robb Report,<\/em> Cruise Critic<\/em>, and\u00a0Cool Hunting<\/em>, among others. Originally from San Francisco, she lives in New York with her wife, their daughter, and a precocious labradoodle. Follow her on Instagram at\u00a0<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/span><\/p>\n