Norway's national football team was welcomed by over 100,000 fans in Oslo on July 13 after being eliminated from the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals by England on July 11 in Miami.
The Norwegian team lost 2-1 in extra time, marking their best-ever World Cup performance by reaching the quarter-finals for the first time [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10].
Fans gathered in massive numbers, with some sources estimating the crowd at over 100,000, while others suggest a figure closer to 90,000, a remarkable turnout given Norway’s population of 5.6 million [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9].
The celebrations featured a water cannon salute at the Royal Palace in Oslo and an open-top bus parade through the city streets. Crown Prince Haakon led the “Viking Row” festivities on drums alongside the team [1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9].
Star striker Erling Haaland was absent from the final celebrations on the palace steps because he had to catch a plane. Coach Stale Solbakken explained that Haaland and teammate Sander Berge missed the last stage of the event due to a four-hour delay traveling from the US and their flight schedules [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6].
Earlier that day, Haaland was seen arriving in Oslo holding a stuffed raccoon with a bottle in its claws [3, 5, 8, 9, 10].
The victory parade faced some disruption as the large crowds and narrow Oslo streets forced a slow-down and even a brief reversal of the bus route [4, 5].
Midfielder Martin Odegaard praised the national support, saying, “It’s simply incredible to see all the support we receive and to see how much the country is behind us. It’s really fantastic,” [3]. Fan Catherine Breiland said the mood was “unbelievable,” expressing pride in the team’s success and the unity across Norwegians, both at home and abroad [4].
Norway’s 2026 World Cup run, concluding with seven goals scored by Haaland, has become a landmark for the nation’s football history [3, 8, 9]. The team is expected to return to regular league and international play after the summer break.
