Finland’s Jacob Friis: ‘Norway friendly is an ideal match for us’

Newly appointed head coach of the Finland national team, Jacob Friis, is thrilled about the upcoming friendly matches against Norway and Andorra, which will complement the team’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.

The Eagle Owls are set to make the journey to Oslo, where they’ll compete against their neighbours Norway on Thursday, 4th September, at Ullevaal Stadion.

Andorra will then visit Finland for a clash on Monday, 17th November, with the exact venue to be announced later.

Finland’s schedule includes two World Cup qualifying matches during the March, June, and October international windows, along with one each in the September and November windows.

These friendlies will complete the fixture list for 2025 under head coach Friis, who assumed the role last month.

“Norway is an ideal opponent for us. It provides perfect preparation ahead of our match against Poland. They possess a strong team with exceptional players. This game will be highly beneficial, and I’m eagerly anticipating it,” Friis stated to Suomen Palloliitto, the Finnish Football Association.

After facing Norway, Finland will head to Poland three days later for what promises to be a pivotal World Cup qualifier.

The encounter in Oslo will mark the 64th clash between these Nordic rivals, with their last meeting ending in a 1-1 stalemate in 2022.

Finland hasn’t managed to secure a victory against The Lions in their last four encounters, having only triumphed nine times overall against them. The last time they achieved a win on Norwegian soil was back in 1974, with a scoreline of 2-1.

Regarding the match versus Andorra, Friis remarked, “It’s fantastic to conclude the year at home in front of our supporters.”

The two nations have faced each other just twice before, both during the qualification rounds for the 2006 World Cup. Finland won the home match 3-0 but was left frustrated with a goalless draw in Andorra La Vella.

Friis aims to turn around a dismal 2024

The challenge ahead for Danish coach Friis is daunting, as he takes over a side that suffered six consecutive losses in the UEFA Nations League under former coach Markku Kanerva.

Finland is also on a winless streak that stretches to eight matches, their last victory coming in March last year against Estonia.

Friis will need to make an immediate impact if Finland is to qualify for their first World Cup and only their second major tournament in history.

The objective is to secure maximum points in March, as they kick off their Group G campaign with matches against Malta and Lithuania, followed by home encounters against Poland and either Spain or the Netherlands in June.