Hundreds of Norwegian soccer fans have turned Manhattan into a Nordic outpost, performing their signature “Viking Row” chant across Times Square, subway cars, and waterways in the days leading up to Norway’s FIFA World Cup 2026 match against Senegal on June 22.
A 28-year wait meets a 48-team tournament
Norway hasn’t played in a World Cup since 1998. That’s a generation of fans who have never seen their national team on the sport’s biggest stage.
The 2026 edition is the first to feature an expanded 48-team format, hosted across the US, Canada, and Mexico. That expansion is precisely what opened the door for Norway’s return, and their fans have responded with the kind of energy that makes viral content feel inevitable.
On June 20 and 21, supporters flooded some of New York’s most recognizable locations. The Viking Row, a choreographed chant where fans simulate rowing a longship in unison, turned Times Square into something resembling a Norse festival rather than a tourist trap.
