Norway football team welcomed with viral ‘Viking Row’ at Dallas airport ahead of World Cup match
The Norway national football team, featuring striker Erling Haaland, landed at Dallas‑Fort Worth International Airport on 29 June 2026 before their round‑of‑16 clash with the Ivory Coast. U.S. airport and city police greeted the squad with a coordinated rowing chant dubbed the “Viking Row”, a variation on Iceland’s famed “Viking Clap”. Fox News posted a video captioned, “Texas rolled out the red carpet for Norway,” and Norway coach Stale Solbakken joked, “I guess the inventor of rowing got a patent – at least I hope so.”
The display quickly went viral, inspiring fans worldwide. In Guadalajara, Mexican supporters replicated the rowing ritual on a rain‑soaked fan zone, while a newlywed couple in Philadelphia was surprised by Croatian World Cup fans performing the same chant. The phenomenon highlights how the 2026 tournament has become a cultural festival beyond the matches themselves.