Norway football team dresses as Vikings for 2026 World Cup launch

Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Norway’s national football squad staged a photo shoot in full Viking battle attire, wielding period weapons and wearing shields and furs. The images, captured by photographer David Yarrow, were shared widely online and presented as a cultural statement linking the team to Norway’s early‑medieval heritage.

The stunt drew mixed reactions: many fans praised it as a creative display of national identity, while scholars and commentators highlighted the historical association of Viking imagery with violence and its later use by extremist groups. Richard Utz noted that modern depictions of Vikings often reinforce a “violent” stereotype, provoking criticism that the campaign could be seen as hyper‑masculine or exclusionary.