Last updated: 19 April 2026. This preview will be refreshed again closer to kick-off.

Right, so it's two weeks out and I've been watching this one with serious interest. Start vs Tromsø. Sunday 3 May 2026. Norwegian Eliteserien. And honestly, the more I look at it, the more I think this could be one of those games where the table tells the whole story before a ball is even kicked.

The Table Doesn't Lie

Look at the fixtures. Look at the league standings. Tromsø are sitting pretty at the top of the Eliteserien. First place. And Start? They're down in 15th. That's not just a gap, mate. That's a chasm.

Now I know what you're thinking. "Jay, it's early in the season, anything can happen." And yeah, fair. But here's where it gets properly interesting. Look at the goals. Tromsø have scored 10. TEN. And conceded just 1. That's not a team on a lucky run, that's a team that is absolutely purring right now. Everything going in at one end, fortress at the other.

Start meanwhile... 3 scored, 7 conceded. Three and seven. Those numbers are doing them no favours at all. The goals against column alone tells you they've been having a rough time of it. Both sides are sitting on identical win-draw-loss records of 0-0-0 so we can't read into results directly, but the goal difference? Tromsø are plus nine. Start are minus four. That's a thirteen goal swing between two sides about to face each other. Mad scenes.

Tromsø: Scoring for Fun

Honestly, ten goals already. You can't ignore that. Whatever Tromsø are doing going forward right now, it's working. They're not just nicking wins, they're putting teams to the sword. The defence backing that up with only one goal conceded suggests this isn't a team that's just fluking their way through either. Clean sheets and goals, the dream combination.

They go into this one as league leaders and, if early odds start appearing over the next few days, I'd expect the bookies to have them as clear favourites here. And for once... I actually agree with the bookies. Don't tell anyone.

Start: The Upside of Being in Trouble

Look, I'm not going to pretend Start's numbers are good. They're not. 15th in the table, conceding goals at a worrying rate. But here's the thing about these games... there's always a chance the home side turns up and makes it a proper contest.

Three goals scored means they've got something going forward, at least. They're not completely toothless. And playing at home, with their own fans behind them, against the league leaders? Sometimes that's exactly the kind of game a struggling side needs to spark something. The pressure's all on Tromsø. All of it. No one expects Start to get anything here.

That's either a recipe for a hammering... or the setup for something mad. Football, mate. You never fully know.

Head to Head: What History Tells Us

I'm going to be straight with you here. The data I've got in front of me is focused on current standings and season numbers rather than a full head-to-head history going back years. What I can tell you is that the form picture right now paints a very clear picture. Tromsø in the kind of form they're showing, travelling to a side leaking goals? History might not matter much this weekend.

What I'd be watching for in the build-up over the next fortnight is whether Start can tighten things defensively. Seven conceded already is the kind of stat that opponents notice. Tromsø's attackers will have looked at that and smiled.

Jay's Early Acca Watch

Right. You knew this was coming. It's two weeks out so odds might only just be appearing but I'm already circling this one for the Saturday Special acca. Or Sunday Special this week, obviously.

I'm going big on this one early: Tromsø to win and both teams to score. Hear me out. Tromsø are clearly the better side by every number available. But Start have scored three already and at home they might nick one. Tromsø's one goal conceded shows they're solid but they've got to travel here, and Start will be desperate. BTTS with Tromsø to win. Rolls nicely into a five-fold, doesn't it.

If I'm feeling brave closer to the time, I might even punt on a correct score. Something like 3-1 Tromsø. Reckon that's got a nice ring to it. You heard it here first. Don't @ me when it lands differently.

My overall hit rate on accas? Let's not go into that right now. Back to the drawing board is basically my catchphrase at this point. But this one feels different. It always feels different. That's the beauty of it.

The Verdict at the 14-Day Mark

Two weeks out, here's where I stand. Tromsø are the form team, the league leaders, and they've got the goals and the defensive record to back it up. Start are in a tough spot, sitting 15th and conceding too freely. The gap between these two sides right now, based purely on what the numbers are showing, is significant.

This feels like a game where Tromsø come and do a proper job. Whether Start can find their feet at home and make it competitive is the real question. I reckon they give it a go but ultimately Tromsø's attacking quality is too much.

Keep an eye on this one as we get closer. Final team news and any fitness updates could shift things. Check back for the closer-to-kick-off refresh where I'll have more to work with. This preview is going to get a lot more interesting in a fortnight, trust the process.