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Bloomberg

Norway’s national jerseys are sold out everywhere, beer sales are up by a third and Norwegians are scrambling for a place to watch the historic quarter-final against England.
The whole country is incredulous: no one expected the men’s team to make it this far in the men’s football World Cup. The result is a country united in euphoria around its team of Vikings.
“This is amazing, it’s magic,” football fan Tora Bell, 31, said in an interview in Oslo ahead of Saturday’s nail-biter match. “We want to see it together with a crowd, to share this moment.”
Bell has been sewing and decorating her own red, white and blue shirts to show support to the national team and said she was feeling a new pride and hope seeing the community and celebrations of the Norwegian players in the streets of Oslo.
“We are even hugging people we don’t know,” she said.

The path to the quarter-final was lined with surprises. Norway had not qualified for the World Cup for 28 years, but went on to send home Brazil, a five-time World Cup champion, 2-1 last Sunday.
Norway’s star striker Erling Braut Haaland, 25, is gaining fans across the globe with comparisons to Argentina’s Lionel Messi and France’s Kylian Mbappe. Goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland is a new national hero with his fantastic saves.
Fartein Nordling, 31, is nervous, but says he will be happy either way.
“We were never supposed to make it this far. It’s all a bonus from here. But now, we might just win the whole thing,” he said, chanting the now familiar song in the streets of Norway, “We will win the World Cup”.
Because of the time difference with the US, Norway has allowed bars to serve alcohol beyond the usual 3am closing time, an extraordinary measure that has prompted some politicians to call for making the extended hours permanent.
Mack Bryggeri in Tromsø, which bills itself as the world’s northernmost brewery, said sales had risen 32 per cent from a year earlier, broadcaster TV2 reported. “A big reason for this is the World Cup, guaranteed,” chief executive officer Harald Bredrup told TV2.
Saturday’s match against England starts at 11pm local time (Sunday 5am, Hong Kong time), giving bars ample time to serve beer before and after the game.
Stefan Jansen, owner of Oslo venue Blå, estimated the World Cup and the temporary extension of alcohol-serving hours boosted sales by about 50 per cent during the Norway-Brazil match. For the England game, he expected revenue to double as fans arrive hours before kick-off to secure seats.
“People are desperate for a place to watch the game,” Jansen said by phone. “Some guests show up at noon for a match that starts at 11pm. And while they wait, they drink.”

When the small country of 5.6 million people stunned Brazil, 100,000 people filled the streets of Oslo to celebrate, drawing Crown Prince Haakon into the crowds outside the Royal Palace to perform the now-familiar rowing gesture together with thousands of fans.
The rowing motion, which mimics Viking oarsmen, was inspired by Iceland’s “Viking clap” at the 2016 European Championship and popularised by Norway’s official supporters’ club, Oljeberget, or “the Oil Mountain”. The rowing has gone viral, with politicians, players and fans around the world posting videos of themselves rowing.
In the US, Norway is getting “a lot of positive attention”, said Ambassador Anniken Huitfeldt.
That was after some run-ins with the Trump administration the past year, including a campaign by the US president, Donald Trump, for a Nobel Peace Prize.
“When I meet senators and members of Congress now, they don’t shake hands with me, they start rowing instead. It’s become a national trademark,” Huitfeldt said by phone. “Our sports diplomacy has given many a positive view of Norway.”


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Fifa

Fifa World Cup: Norway on edge before historic quarter-final against England

Norwegian supporters celebrate their round-of-16 win over Brazil at Karl Johans gate in Oslo on Sunday. Photo: AFP

Norway’s Erling Haaland (middle) gets past two Brazilian players in his team’s 2-1 win, in which the striker scored both goals. Photo: AP

Crown Prince Haakon (middle, second row) “rowing” with Norway supporters on the palace square after their win over Brazil. Photo: dpa

Fifa World Cup: Erling Haaland begins psychological warfare as Norway take on England

Erling Haaland trains with his Norway teammates in Miami before Sunday’s World Cup quarter-final against England. Photo: AP Photo

Erling Haaland orchestrates the Norwegian celebrations after their shock win over Brazil. Photo: Xinhua

Nico O’Reilly breaks free from Gilberto Mora during England’s victory over Mexico. Photo: AFP

Latest Mbappe goal makes him first player to score at least 8 at multiple World Cup finals

Kylian Mbappe scores France's first goal in their quarter-final 2-0 win over Morocco at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough on Thursday. Photo: AFP

Argentina’s Lionel Messi has also scored eight goals at the current World Cup. Photo: AP

Just Fontaine (left) notched 13 goals and two assists at the 1958 World Cup. Photo: AP

Sport

Football

Few expected the team to make it this far in the tournament, and the result is a nation united in euphoria around its team of Vikings


Few expected the team to make it this far in the tournament, and the result is a nation united in euphoria around its team of Vikings.


Fifa World Cup 2026

Erling Haaland

Norway

Fifa World Cup: Norway on edge before historic quarter-final against England

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Few expected the team to make it this far in the tournament, and the result is a nation united in euphoria around its team of Vikings

Few expected the team to make it this far in the tournament, and the result is a nation united in euphoria around its team of Vikings