Norway turn World Cup heartbreak into celebration as 100,000 fans pack Oslofor heroes’ welcome

More than 100,000 fans flooded the streets of the Norwegian capital on Monday to give their football team a heroes’ welcome, turning the heartbreak of their World Cup quarterfinal exit into a massive national celebration.

A 2-1 extra-time defeat by England on Saturday brought Norway’s historic run to an end in Miami, shattering the Nordics’ dreams of a semifinal berth. But it did not stop the country from celebrating its heroes. Massive crowds under the Norwegian summer sun filled the grounds of the Royal Palace early on Monday afternoon, with unofficial turnout estimates ranging from 90,000 to more than 100,000 people.

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Royal Reception and the “Viking Row”

The squad touched down at Oslo Airport to a traditional water cannon salute, with fire engines spraying water over the aircraft to form a rainbow. They then commenced their homecoming parade through the capital, with supporters quickly packing the palace square before stretching far down the main street, Karl Johans gate.

The team first attended an audience with King Harald and Queen Sonja at the Royal Palace. Crown Prince Haakon, who had been present at the defeat in Miami and visited the dressing room afterward to address the squad directly, led the celebration with a drum. “When you get home, the King would like to invite you to the Castle,” he had told the players in a moving talk after the loss.

The team then stepped out onto the palace steps to greet the fans, with the Royal Guard standing at attention behind them. Together with the tens of thousands gathered below, they performed one last “Viking Row” — the rowing celebration that has become a defining feature of their World Cup campaign.

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“Incredible to See All the Support”

“It’s simply incredible to see all the support we receive and to see how much the country is behind us,” captain Martin Odegaard told public broadcasters NRK. “It’s really fantastic.”

The invitation from the royal family had been extended even before the players left American soil. This was Norway’s first return to the World Cup since 1998, and the team’s run to the quarterfinals — including a stunning victory over Brazil in the round of 16 — marked their best-ever performance in the competition.

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Haaland’s Early Departure — and a Stuffed Raccoon

Striker Erling Haaland was noticeably absent from the final stage of the celebrations, having left early. His departure meant he missed joining his teammates on the palace steps for the closing “Viking Row.”

“Erling and Sander (Berge) had to catch their plane as our trip from the U.S. was delayed four hours,” coach Stale Solbakken explained.

Haaland, who scored seven goals at the World Cup — placing him among the tournament’s top scorers — had landed in Norway earlier in the day. But it was his unusual travel companion that caught attention: he was pictured on social media walking from the plane holding a stuffed raccoon with a glass bottle of alcohol in its claws.

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Open-Top Bus Parade to Follow

The squad prepared to continue the celebrations with an open-top bus parade through Oslo. For a nation of 5.6 million, this was a moment to cherish — a historic campaign that ended in heartbreak but will be remembered as the journey that put Norway back on the football map.