(foto: Posnetek zaslona)
Oslo celebrated Norway’s first World Cup qualification since 1998, hosting 50,000 fans for a spectacular reception honouring Erling Haaland and the national team in Holmenkollen.
Football stole the spotlight in Oslo last night as fans celebrated Norway’s first World Cup qualification since 1998, overshadowing even the iconic ski jumping festivities in Holmenkollen.
The Norwegian capital traditionally reserves its biggest annual celebration for ski jumping, but the national team’s historic success this week changed everything. After a stunning 4-1 victory over Italy in Milan, Norway secured a long-awaited ticket to the 2026 World Cup.
To honour the achievement, Oslo hosted a grand reception that drew an estimated 50,000 supporters. The city hall was illuminated in the red, white, and blue of the national team, creating a spectacular scene despite temperatures well below freezing.
The celebratory mood reflected just how significant this moment is for Norwegian football. It has been nearly three decades since the country last reached a World Cup, when stars such as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Mini Jakobsen, Tore André Flo, Henning Berg and Ronny Johnsen led the team.
This time, however, Norway heads to the World Cup with a squad of a different calibre. With Erling Haaland, Martin Ødegaard and a generation of top-tier talent, the national team travels to North America with ambitions far greater than simply participating.
For one night, football became the heartbeat of Oslo, marking the start of a new era for one of Europe’s most exciting rising national teams.