More than 100,000 fans celebrate Norway's national team in Oslo after World Cup exit

Audience with the King and appearance at the palace

The centerpiece of the appearance was the so-called Viking rowing salute, a choreographed gesture in which the team, together with the supporters, imitated the rhythm of a rowing stroke. The action was led by Crown Prince Haakon, who set the pace on a drum. The action is reminiscent of the rowing traditions of the Viking Age and was enthusiastically received by the fans on the square.

The Viking rowing salute with Crown Prince Haakon

During the course of the celebrations, however, Erling Haaland was missing from the final part of the festivities, which he had left early. The 25-year-old thus missed the final joint Viking rowing salute with his teammates on the steps of the palace before tens of thousands of fans. The striker star had shone at the tournament as a seven-time World Cup goalscorer and was one of the defining figures of the Norwegian squad.

After the appearance at the palace, the celebrations continued with a parade in an open-top bus through Oslo. Thousands of additional supporters lined the route through the city center and celebrated the team on its way through the Norwegian capital. Police described it as one of the largest spontaneous gatherings the city had seen in years.

Bus parade through the city center

The Norwegian Football Association had previously called for the event and asked fans to appear in the colors of the country. The call was widely followed: jerseys in red and white, Norwegian flags, and self-made Viking helmets dominated the scene on the palace square.

From the federation's perspective, the reception was a sign of appreciation for a team that had set a milestone in Norwegian football history by reaching a World Cup quarterfinal for the first time. The players thanked the supporters with applause, chants, and joint rowing gestures.

Reactions from the team and outlook

In addition to ordinary supporters, numerous families with children had gathered on the stands. Many of them had arrived in the morning to secure a place in the front row in front of the palace balustrade. The atmosphere resembled more of a folk festival than a traditional reception.

For the fans, reaching the quarterfinals was reason enough to celebrate the team as heroes. Banners read: Takk for kampen ("Thank you for the fight"). The players were given a send-off with chants and Norwegian national anthems as they left the palace.

The bus parade led from the city center along the grand boulevard Karl Johans gate and continued westward. The route was closed off in several places, and police forces accompanied the convoy to ensure a smooth process. Along the route, people chanted the team's name and Scandinavian battle cries.

Crown Prince Haakon had personally led the action on the palace steps and then watched the bus convoy from the roadside together with the Royal Guard. The heir to the throne is known as a self-confessed football fan and had already attended games of the Norwegian team during the tournament.

Overall, the official celebrations lasted around three hours. In the evening, the team returned to the team hotel, where further internal appointments and medical examinations are scheduled for Tuesday.

After a short break, the Norwegian squad will begin preparations for the upcoming international matches. Coaches and officials have repeatedly emphasized that despite the elimination against England, the World Cup squad forms an important foundation for the upcoming qualifying rounds.

For the city of Oslo, the reception was a logistical feat. In addition to additional bus services, public transport was also reinforced. Traffic around the city center came to a standstill at times during the afternoon, which was taken in stride by many residents.

The reception ended with a joint rowing salute by the team on the stage at the palace. Seven-time World Cup goalscorer Haaland, who had missed the final part of the celebrations, spoke up on social media in the evening and thanked the fans.

Overall, the team felt the great outpouring of support as a special gesture, according to sources close to the team. The federation also thanked the city of Oslo, the Royal Guard, and the security forces for the smooth running of the celebration.