Haaland, spirited Norway squad trains in Fort Lauderdale after switching hotels
The Norwegian national team, which has captivated World Cup fans with superstar Erling Haaland and the synchronized Viking Row chant, landed in South Florida on Monday and trained in Fort Lauderdale on a sweltering Wednesday afternoon in preparation for Saturday’s quarterfinal against England at Hard Rock Stadium.
Players were spirited, despite the heat, clapping, cheering and singing at the start of training session at Inter Miami Stadium (formerly Chase Stadium) in Fort Lauderdale.
The trip began with a bit of a hiccup, as the team opted to switch hotels after just one night. The Norwegian delegation was scheduled to stay at the Dalmar Hotel in Fort Lauderdale for the entire week but chose to move with FIFA’s help.
“There were some things we would have liked to see differently, and we made a change,” Norway’s World Cup logistics manager Truls Dæhli told Norwegian network TV2. “We’re going to be here for a week, and we’re already in Week 6 in the USA and are going to play the biggest game in history of our time. So far, we’ve managed to avoid cabin fever, and we didn’t want any risk of it happening now.”
He did not specify the reasons, but TV2 reported that the hotel was noisy because of a nearby construction site, and it is three miles from the beach, which would have been a more desirable location. The team was moved to an undisclosed accommodation closer to the beach.
According to Dæhli, FIFA agreed to cover the cost of 50 rooms and security at the new hotel, while the Norwegian federation was responsible for covering the difference in room rate because the new venue is more expensive.
“Good well-being, good mood and good atmosphere are the most important things for us, and we have been met with good understanding from FIFA, who have moved us to the new hotel, Dæhli said. “We had to make a small adjustment, because this hotel costs more. But we are incredibly satisfied with the way things have been responded to here. There are only happy faces here now.”
Norway coach Stale Solbakken dismissed reports that a flu or virus was running through the camp, saying reports were exaggerated.
“Odegaard’s uncle, who is a physio, is sick, not Martin,” Solbakken said, referring to team captain Martin Odegaard. “So, everything is fine, every player is fine, there’s no sickness among the players. There’s been one or two on the staff, so at this moment we are all ready to go.”
The coach and captain said they are not worried about playing in the South Florida heat and humidity.
“It’s a big change for all of us, we’re from Norway, so we’re not used to this type of weather, but the good thing is we’ve been in America for a while now, and we’re getting used to it,” Odegaard said. “I feel like we’ve been really good in the games. Maybe one of the games we had a lot of cramps, but apart from that, it’s not a big problem.”
Solbakken added: “The weather is the same for both teams. We’re both from the North, so neither of these teams is used to this kind of heat, it’s equal for both, so no excuses.”
Norwegian fans are also happy and ready to row after their team knocked out five-time World Cup champion Brazil to reach the quarterfinals. Norway has never advanced so far. A special flight for Norwegian World Cup fans from Oslo to Miami sold out almost immediately, according to airline Norse Atlantic Airways, which was looking to add more flights.
The Viking Row has become a global phenomenon during the tournament. By now, everyone knows the drill:
Fans decked in red, white, and blue sit in rows, one behind the other. Arms reach forward. Bodies lean back. A drum beats. Somebody yells “Ro!”, and then the whole group begins to row.
Since the tournament began, they have rowed on escalators, on subway platforms, in Times Square in New York City, at a Mets game at CitiField, and at the Norwegian Parliament.
The Viking Row began in December 2025, when superfan Ole Froystad — now affectionately known as “Mr Row Row” — came up with a chant inspired by the history of Viking rowing. It caught on with the official supporters group and went viral.
“It’s really special to see our team in the quarterfinals, it gathers people in a special way that we haven’t seen before,” said Hallvoard Slenneng Jensen, a Norwegian student pilot at OSM Aviation in Fort Lauderdale, who waited in the stadium parking lot during Norway’s training session hoping to catch a glimpse of the team.
“The Norwegian community comes together for winter sports, but this is something really special for us.”
Jensen’s friend and fellow aviation student Noah Sundberg had a Norway flag wrapped around his shoulders. They were thrilled when they learned Norway would be playing in Miami and training in Fort Lauderdale.
“It’s a 10-out-of-10 coincidence,” Jensen said. “Amazing!”
They plan to buy tickets for the match but are hoping prices come down a bit. “I set my ceiling at $750, but I think that won’t be enough,” Jensen said.
This story was originally published July 8, 2026 at 4:42 PM.