Norway's Viking rowing celebration grabs World Cup spotlight

The Norway national football team has become one of the most talked‑about sides at the World Cup due to a distinctive on‑field celebration known as “Viking rowing.” Players line up, sit in imagined boats and row in sync while the captain leads, invoking the country’s Viking heritage and signalling team cohesion.

The routine quickly went viral, with fans and analysts interpreting it as a display of discipline and collective spirit. Spectators worldwide have joined in, and thousands of Norwegian supporters in stadiums have replicated the rowing motion. Videos of the celebration continue to spread online, making it one of the tournament’s most recognizable fan traditions, even though the team’s ultimate performance remains to be seen.