Norway’s national football team is bringing a taste of home to its North Carolina training base for the FIFA World Cup 2026. To keep players comfortable and well-fuelled during the tournament, the Norwegian federation shipped a huge selection of familiar foods from Scandinavia, including 300 kilograms of Norwegian salmon and cod, 116 kilograms of traditional brunost (brown goat’s cheese), and 6,000 fresh oranges to help keep the squad energised and hydrated throughout the competition.Norway's football teamHas this happened before? Absolutely.At the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Korean Sport & Olympic Committee set up a dedicated catering base in Fontainebleau and air-lifted over 1.5 tonnes of ingredients from Korea. Athletes were served familiar meals packed with rice, kimchi and proteins, alongside classic banchan such as egg rolls, stir-fried anchovies, spicy pork and braised black beans, helping recreate the comforts of home during competition.And for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, Argentina transported nearly three tonnes of food to its base camp, including Argentine beef, pork, dulce de leche and large quantities of traditional mate tea. The team also sent its own chefs ahead of the tournament to oversee the kitchens and ensure players could enjoy familiar meals and authentic asados throughout the competition.From tonnes of ingredients to dedicated chefs and custom kitchens, national teams are increasingly treating food as a competitive advantage. After all, when the stakes are this high, even a familiar meal can make a world of difference.