Match Preview: Toronto FC v. Fredrikstad FK

Toronto FC continues its preseason schedule on Wednesday, 11 February against Fredrikstad FK. Coming off a 2-2 draw against AIK Stockholm, TFC will look to continue their undefeated form by facing off against the Norwegian side in Marbella, Spain. Take note of the start time - 6 am EST! Some of us will be up bright and early as we'll forgo sleep in order to watch the Reds play.

Who Are Ya? - Fredrikstad FK

Fredrikstad Fotballklubb (commonly referred to as FFK, Fredrikstad, or the Garne Runners) is a professional Norwegian football team based in the town of Fredrikstad - about 100 km south of Norwegian capital Oslo. Established in 1903, the club stands as a powerhouse in Norwegian sports history, boasting twelve Norwegian Cup titles and nine league championships. Following their promotion from the First Division in 2023, FFK returned to the top-tier Eliteserien for the 2024 season. Fredrikstad finished eighth in Norway's top tier in 2025.

For nearly a century—from 1914 to 2006—the team played at the original Fredrikstad Stadion. As the old facilities became obsolete, the club relocated to a modern stadium situated across the Glomma River. This unique venue was constructed on the site of a former shipyard, cleverly integrating the original industrial structures into two of its stands.

FFK enjoys a dedicated local following, spearheaded by their official supporters’ group, Plankehaugen. Planke means "plank" (timber/wood) and haugen means "the pile" or "the hill."
Fredrikstad has historically been known as the "Planketown" because it was the center of Norway’s timber trade and sawmill industry for centuries.

By calling themselves Plankehaugen, the supporters are identifying with the town's blue-collar, industrial roots. It originally referred to a specific section of the old stadium where the most vocal home fans stood, before becoming the official name of the supporter club in 1999.

Opposing Players to Watch

Johannes Nuñez (FW) - #10 : An experienced striker who led the team with seven goals in the Eliteserien last season. He is excellent at holding up the ball and involving the midfielders in the attack. Nuñez also added four assists and was first in goal contributions on his team.

Oskar Øhlenschlæger (CM) - #20 - : The young Danish midfielder has a high work rate and a knack for scoring crucial goals from the middle of the park, finishing second in scoring for the club last season.

Patrick Metcalfe (CM) - # 11 - For a Canadian connection, Metcalfe has been a consistent presence in the FFK midfield since joining in 2023, providing stability and grit. The Vancouver-born Metcalfe arrived in Norway in 2022 with Stabaek after stints with the TSS Rovers and Vancouver Whitecaps.

The TFC Connection

There are no players that have played for Fredrikstad and Toronto FC. However, Toronto has some notable Norwegian players that have featured for the club - Sigurd Rosted and Ola Brynhildsen. Additionally, Adama Diomande and Øyvind Alseth made brief stops in Toronto and are footnotes in club history.

TFC sold Jayden Nelson, Rosenborg in 2023. After a productive stint in Norway (8 goals, 8 assists), he returned to MLS with Vancouver in 2025 and was recently traded to Austin FC for the 2026 season

In January 2025, Toronto FC played a pre-season friendly against Fredrikstad FK in Spain. It was a notable match as it marked the debut of several new pieces for TFC and ended in a 1-1 draw, with Theo Corbeanu scoring his first ever goal for Toronto.

Let's TF-See - Toronto FC's Current Form

As mentioned above, Toronto FC is currently undefeated in preseason play with two wins and one draw. Look for Robin Fraser to rotate through his squad by substiting a number of bench players throughout the second half. Perhaps he'll leave the starting eleven in a bit longer this match as match fitness will need to be a consideration as TFC's first regular season game on February 21st is quickly approaching.

Score Prediction - Toronto FC 2 - 1 Fredrikstad FK