What is Norway’s 'Viking Row'? World Cup celebration explained before England clash | OneFootball

Norway’s World Cup celebration has become a viral sensation - but what does it mean and where did it all start?

One of the defining images of World Cup 2026 so far has been Norway’s rowing celebrations.

From pulling imaginary oars in unison up escalators, to a crowd performing the ritual in the middle of Times Square, the world has been enamoured by the Norwegians’ unique method of expressing their identity.

Even the Crown Prince of Norway, Haakon, has been spotted at games joining in.

But what exactly is the celebration and where did it come from? How long have the Norwegians been using it? And will we get to see it again?

England certainly hope not. Here, Standard Sport tells you all you need to know.

What is Norway’s ‘Viking Row’ celebration?

Norway fans, either before, during or after matches, will sit down in the stands and pretend to row in unison, while chanting - in time - “ro”, which is the Norwegian word for - you guessed it - row.

It’s inspired by Norway’s historical links and modern association with Vikings, who invaded Europe and North America with the help of their rowboats.

The Norwegian team even took part in a pre-World Cup photoshoot posing in traditional Viking garb by a fjord, reflecting the team and nation’s ability to lean into their ancestry.

Fans have been spotted doing the row all over the USA and at home, as well as after matches when those in the crowd are orchestrated by the team captain, Arsenal’s Martin Odegaard.

Following their famous 2-1 win over Brazil, where Erling Haaland bagged a double, he was instead given the reins to conduct things, and revelled in the union as his country secured only their second World Cup knockout win ever.

The ritual has shades of Iceland’s famous ‘Viking Thunder Clap’ celebration, which captured the public imagination at both Euro 2016 and the 2018 World Cup, with their slow claps building up to a crescendo in a similar fashion to Norway’s show of spirit.

Who started Norway’s ‘Viking Row’?

Norway had been absent from the major tournament stage since Euro 2000 and had not reached the World Cup since 1998, so many might assume that the ‘ro’ has been the side’s go-to celebration for a while now. The truth is actually quite different,

The celebration surprisingly only came about in December 2025.

It was Ole Froystad - now known as ‘Mr Row Row’ - who invented a chant inspired by Viking rowing, which Norway’s official supporters’ group transformed into the ritual we see today.

Torstein Hamran, a board member of supporters' club Oljeberget Supporterklubb, explained the chant’s origins in an interview with FIFA.

"It all started with Ole's idea," explained Hamran. “Then we developed it together. We even recorded a song called Viking Blood, which was released at the end of March and features the Viking Row in the background. Today it's one of the biggest songs in Norway.”

It did not fully take off until a pre-tournament friendly with Sweden, where the supporters’ group gave instructions to fans and used a horn to signal when the ‘ro’ celebrations were about to start.

Then, after Norway’s round-of-32 win over Ivory Coast, the players asked to use the drum themselves. That drum, now seen in viral clips across social media, is Hamran’s.

"The players wanted my drum," Torstein laughed. "I had to run across several sections of the stadium to get it to them.

“I bought that little second-hand drum back in 2023, and now it's famous all over the world. After the match, everyone wanted to have their picture taken with it.”

Froystad was emotional about the impact of the chant he created just last year, adding: "Hearing people shouting 'ro!' through the streets of New York was incredible.

“It was one of the greatest moments of my life. The other was against Senegal, when the players sat down and performed the Viking Row perfectly in sync with the supporters. I almost cried. It was extraordinary.”