View from the Opposition: Fredrikstad's new forward on playing at Selhurst Park

Match previews

21 Aug 2025

Crystal Palace's first-ever major European campaign gets underway against Fredrikstad FK on Thursday evening (20:00 BST) – and before kick-off, it’s time to get the lowdown on our latest opponents…

The first leg of our play-off round tie takes place tonight (20:00 BST kick-off), with tickets still available to Season Ticket holders and Members. The match will also be shown LIVE on Palace TV+.

Factfile

Manager: Andreas Hagen
Current position (2025 calendar season): 8th
Last season (2024): 6th (Norwegian Cup winners)
Ground: Fredrikstad Stadion
Founded: 1903 (122 years ago)

In their words...

Speaking during an open training session at Selhurst Park on Wednesday evening, Norwegian forward Johannes Nuñez – who joined Fredrikstad earlier this week from KFUM Oslo – had the following to say...

"This is what you dream about. Now the boys get the chance to play here, in front of a full house, so there's nothing better than that.

"If we keep it to a draw, I think they will be frustrated, and then we will have them where we want them.

"We know that Premier League is a higher level than Eliteserien. We want to go out there and show that we can get a result that makes our supporters dream come true.

"That's what we hope for."

Tell us more about them...

In historical terms, Fredrikstad FK are Norway’s second most successful club – no mean feat in a proud footballing country that has produced the likes of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Erling Haaland.

Only Rosenborg have won more silverware. However, Fredrikstad last won the championship back in 1960/61. They are yet to do so in the professional era, but did end a trophy drought last year – claiming the NM (Norwegian) Cup after a penalty shootout win over Molde.

Former player Andreas Hagen is currently appointed as manager after leading the side to silverware last term, after originally being in charge on a temporary basis. That cup triumph led them to qualify for Europe this term – their first European campaign in 15 years.

Even that was not their first foray into continental competition. Fredrikstad actually played in the European Cup for three seasons on the spin back in the early 1960s.

They even caused an upset in their very first tie, knocking out Dutch giants Ajax in the preliminary round. Appearances in Europe have been more sporadic since, with Palace set to be Fredrikstad’s 12th European opponents in the club’s history.

The domestic cup triumph left supporters quietly optimistic that Hagen’s team could improve on last term’s sixth place finish in the league. Yet results have remained mixed. Five wins from their first seven league games gave initial hope, only for form to dip before the summer break.

A goalless draw with Tromso earlier this month left Fredrikstad in mid-table, seven points off the European places, with 12 games to go this season.

Initially in the Europa League, Fredrikstad dropped into the Conference League after a 5-1 aggregate defeat to Danish domestic runners-up Midtjylland.

Now, they face Palace over two legs for a place in the Conference League proper.

All eyes on...

Newest arrival Johannes Nuñez – who also boasts Chilean heritage – is a proven goalscorer in domestic competition, scoring 34 times in 100 league appearances for KFUM Oslo to earn his transfer to the Cup holders.

Watch out, too, for Elfsborg loanee Emil Holten, a Danish forward who currently leads the way for Fredrikstad in both domestic goals and assists this season.

Midfielder Eirik Granaas, meanwhile, may only be 15 years of age, but has already made his senior bow in Eliteserien (at 15 years and 90 days old) – surpassing Martin Ødegaard's record by 27 days), the Norwegian Cup and, recently, the Europa League.

In fact, that appearance saw Granaas become the youngest player in European club competition since at least 1971, according to The Athletic.

Form guide

Perhaps Fredrikstad's biggest advantage going into the tie could be their comparative sharpness, with the Norwegian league calendar running from March through to December.

As a result, Aristokratene are currently midway through their league season, sitting eighth – exactly mid-table – with 18 of 30 games played.

After a number of rollercoaster seasons, their place in the top-flight is seemingly secure – they are currently 17 points clear of the automatic relegation zone – but, unless they experience a late-season surge in form, having already been eliminated from the 2025 Norwegian Cup, another run at Europe next year seems unlikely.

In recent weeks, Fredrikstad have won just two of their last 11 league matches. They were defeated 5-1 on aggregate by Danish outfit Midtjylland over two legs earlier this month in the Europa League qualifiers, yielding this week's Conference League tie.

Match Details

Crystal Palace v Fredrikstad

Thursday, 21st August
20:00 BST
UEFA Conference League play-off round, first leg
Selhurst Park
Live on Palace TV+

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